On 22nd August, the Impact Arts team will be raising a glass to three decades of life-changing work, as they prepare to mark their 30th anniversary. They’ve recently launched a call out for those who have been impacted by their work over the past 30 years and been part of one of their projects, to get in touch and share their stories.
Since Impact Arts was established by Susan Aktemel in 1994, they have embarked on a mission to tackle social inequality using creativity and art, improving the lives of some of Scotland’s most vulnerable people in communities all over the country. Over the years they’ve been behind hundreds of projects, from large-scale public art to music projects with the likes of Amy Macdonald and Hector Bizerk, live theatre to pop-up cafes, and interior design workshops to creative learning with those in the criminal justice system. Since 1994 more than 300,000 people have been engaged in or supported by their work, with projects winning numerous awards and accolades.
Today Impact Arts continues to push boundaries with its life-changing work from bases in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Irvine. They continues to welcome older communities struggling with social isolation, improving the wellbeing and attainment of children via art therapy, and empowering teens and young adults through employability programmes such as Creative Pathways, and CashBack to the Future, which is currently running with groups in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and North Ayrshire.
On 22nd August The Boardwalk will host a special 30th anniversary celebration, with stakeholders, former participants, and friends invited to relive highlights from past projects and see recent work by a range of groups including some of the work created as part of this year’s Cashback Summer programmes.
Impact Arts has recently launched a call out for those who have been impacted by their work over the past 30 years and been part of one of their projects, to get in touch and share their stories which will be incorporated in the August celebrations. You can fill in a online form or email 30thAnniversary@impactarts.co.uk.