WELCOME TO COOLTAN ARTS E-BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2011

Events take place at CoolTan Arts, Unit B 237 Walworth Rd, SE17 1RL unless otherwise stated. www.cooltanarts.org.uk www.afunnyfarm.org.uk info@cooltanarts.org.uk Tel: 020 7701 2696 / 0798 565 8443 Open Mon-Thu 10am-6pm Fri 10am-5pm Twitter: @cooltan4 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cooltanarts

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 16TH NOVEMBER PRIVATE VIEW EXHIBITION AT CARNEGIE LIBRARY 19TH NOVEMBER WILLIAM BLAKE WALK LARGACTYL SHUFFLE 12AM-4PM 11TH- 30TH NOVEMBER EXHIBITION AT CARNEGIE LIBRARY 22ND NOVEMBER NEW REFERRALS INFORMATION SESSION 1PM-3PM 17TH DECEMBER JINGLE BELLS WALK LARGACTYL SHUFFLE 12AM-4PM 20TH DECEMBER COOLTAN ARTS CHRISTMAS PARTY 5PM-9PM UPCOMING EVENTS CoolTan Arts Exhibition at Carnegie Library 11th- 30th November Private View 16 November 6-9pm
Venue: Carnegie Library, 188 Herne Hill Road, SE24 0AG Telephone: 020 7926 6050 Opening Times: Monday - 1pm-8pm Wednesday & Friday - 10am-6pm Saturday - 9am-5pm Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday - closed You are invited to the exhibition launch on 16th November 6pm-9pm, with poetry readings from all of CoolTans fantastic poets! CoolTan are delighted to announce a new exhibition of our participants and tutors creative work. The exhibition will explore the theme - positive impact of art in relation to mental health and wellbeing using mixed media, collage, painting, drawing, sculpture and batik. Carnegie Library is a picturesque Grade II listed building, combining framework with Tudor style mullioned and leaded windows. The historic building forms an exciting juxtaposition to the vibrant, colourful and cutting-edge contemporary work of CoolTan Arts. Entry to the exhibition is free and everyone is welcome. CoolTan Arts Largactyl Shuffle - William Blake: Saturday 19th November 2011 Start: Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1 9TG; Finish: Bunhill Join CoolTan Arts Largactyl Shuffle, a free guided cultural walk around Southwark, promoting mental health and physical wellbeing, using art, humour and history to destigmatise mental health. This walk focuses on William Blake, an English poet, painter, and printmaker (1757 1827). Largely unrecognized during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age. The poet and songwriter Patti Smith visits his grave for inspiration whenever she is in the UK.

Come along and join the discussion and exploration, share your thoughts and ideas, enjoy the company of others and have fun. All are welcome to join! The walk is suitable for people with disabilities and wheel chair users. Our friendly CoolTan guides will be there to help you. Please bring a packed lunch and drinks, wear suitable clothes and sensible footwear. Any contributions will be much appreciated www.justgiving.com/cooltanarts Times: 12noon 4pm Cost: free, voluntary donation welcome Contact: Susan McNally Email: info@cooltanarts.org.uk Telephone: 020 7701 2696 or 0798 565 8443

New Referrals Information Session: 22nd November 1-3pm

Are you interested in arts and would you like to find out more about CoolTan Arts? Are you a Community mental health worker/Psychiatrist/Social Worker/Support Planner/Member of the Community Mental Health Team/Nurse/CPN/Outreach Worker/Key Worker? Someone experiencing mental distress/Disabled/Someone with complex needs/Dual Diagnosis? Do you have a personal budget? Are you looking for things to do to help with your recovery? Are you looking to find opportunities that will help increase your skills, break isolation, enable you to volunteer, get out of the house, make friends, go out on trips, enjoy what London has to offer, and develop your interests? CoolTan Arts offers a range of opportunities, including workshops: Visual Arts, Textiles, IT, Video, Podcasting, Radio, Volunteering, Local History, Women Only Poetry, IT and Visual Arts; as well as, mixed Poetry, Knitting, Trips and Exhibitions. Come along to our new referrals information session to find out more. Please contact Clara for more info: clara@cooltanarts.org.uk

NEW ENHANCED ROUND OF OUR SELF ADVOCACY COURSE

A short series of workshops running from Thursday 27th October- Thursday 15th December 2011. Please contact Phil, Advocacy Training Coordinator, at CoolTan for more information, or to arrange to meet about the Self-advocacy skills training at times outside of the advertised schedules. Venue: CoolTan Arts unless notified otherwise. Please dress warmly! Wednesday mornings: 2nd / 16th / 30th November 11am - 1pm Thursday afternoons: Workshops Start 1.30pm & finish approx 4pm

3rd November: Introduction to Advocacy, and Self-advocacy 10th November: Self-confidence - where is it - find it - use it! 17th November: Survivor movements civil rights and campaign history - how and why were here? 24th November: Getting ready for Personalisation, and Personal Budgets With thanks to funders Alan & Babette Trust and LloydsTSB Foundations

To find out more, look out for us at a Venue near you, or please send us an invite to come to you!

Phone, email or write & ask for: Phil Ruthen, Advocacy Training Coordinator Email: phil@cooltanarts.org.uk Telephone: 020 7701 2696 / Mobile 0798 565 8443 RECENT NEWS

CoolTan Arts Exhibition at WPF Therapy 1st October - 13th January

You are invited to visit a brand new art exhibition with inspiring artworks by CoolTan participants. Bringing a positive outlook on art and well-being, CoolTan showcases an array of creative work with strong colour, impact, aesthetics and content. Please phone in advance to make an appointment with WPF for entry. Saturday morning is a good time for group visits. All works are for sale, so dont miss this opportunity to get your hands on a unique piece of art. The show is fully accessible, although entry is by appointment only.

Please contact WPF Therapy to make an appointment. Telephone: 020 7378 2000 Address: WPF Therapy, 23 Magdalen Street, London SE1 2EN

CoolTan Arts walk with Arthur Smith in celebration of World Mental Health Day On Saturday 15th October, a beautiful bright autumn day, more than 100 CoolTan Arts participants, volunteers, supporters and patrons gathered outside Maudsley Hospital to begin a monumental sponsored walk. Our BIG Largactyl Shuffle was organised to celebrate World Mental Health Day and explored the history of the NHS from Cradle to Grave. We also celebrated the Birthday of Ari, the first CoolTan walk leader, with a full chorus of Happy Birthday! The Deputy Mayor of Southwark, Cllr Althea Smith, and Cllr Dora Dixon Fyle - Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, joined us alongside comedian and broadcaster Arthur Smith to launch proceedings. Highlights included a tree-planting ceremony on Camberwell Green. A Gingko tree was planted, a living sculpture, made possible with funding from the Cleaner Greener Safer initiative, awarded by Southwark Council. Michelle Baharier CEO of CoolTan Arts said: CoolTan are very proud to have this unique commission on Camberwell Green, both as a legacy for our organisation and a reminder to keep mental health on the agenda. During the tree planting ceremony, Cllr Dixon-Fyle said: Keep CoolTan in the Frame, thats exactly what were going to do! The walk was staged as a fundraiser against crippling cuts from the NHS. Well-wishers will be pleased to hear that staff, volunteers, participants and patrons have, to date, raised a total of 6225.00 in aid of the charity. CoolTan Arts has worked out that if every single person on our mailing list contributed 2 a month via direct debit we could cover our cuts.

If you are able, and would like to make monthly contributions, our BACS details are: Account Name: CoolTan Arts, Bank: Co-operative Bank, Account Number: 65184071, Sort Code: 08-92-99. Please email us or visit our website to get a gift aid form to give to your bank as it increases the value of every pound you donate by 28p. The day was a huge success with fun, poetry, history and creative talks along the way. Amos Phillips, Chair of CoolTan Arts Trustees, expressed his thoughts on the days success, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who was involved in CoolTan Arts Sponsored Shuffle through participating, fundraising and organising. The superb weather and unique camaraderie created by this years shuffle made the day thoroughly uplifting and enlightening. I would like to wholeheartedly welcome everyone back on next years walk! The event culminated in a film screening, refreshments and socialising at Tate Modern, including home-made cakes and an impromptu performance from participant Julius Xavier, with his new song, Personalisation Is For Us!

A very big Thank You to everyone who came on the Sponsored Walk 2011 and to those whom sponsored our walkers. All your support makes a big difference to helping continue our work. Remember you can still sponsor us for the next three months at www.justgiving.com/cooltanartssponsoredwalk2011 and you can see pictures of the walk online at www.facebook.com/cooltanarts We have also been in a number of online publications recently with our news: Check out the following links to find out more... Online Listings and Articles Shape http://www.shapearts.org.uk/partnersnews/cooltan-arts-walk-with-arthursmith-in-celebration-of-world-mental-health-day-2011.aspx Londonist http://londonist.com/2011/10/things-to-do-in-london-at-the-weekend-14-16october.php National Council for Voluntary Organisations Engage http://www.beengaged.org/story/surviving-after-funding-cuts The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/gallery/2011/oct/07/cooltan-world-mentalhealth-day-in-pictures#/?picture=378935227&index=14

SLaM NHS http://www.members.slam.nhs.uk/events/CoolTan-Arts-Largactyl-ShuffleSponsored-Walk/detail181.aspx Community Action Southwark http://casouthwark.org.uk/news/cooltan-arts-tree-planting-ceremony-andsponsored-walk-with-arthur-smith/

Live & Kicking Exhibition Now Open! On Thursday 6th October CoolTan Arts opened a new exhibition Live & Kicking, with an evening reception offering informal socialising with light refreshments at our Independent Gallery. The proceedings were supported by the presence of the Deputy Mayor of Southwark, Cllr Althea Smith who launched the exhibition with a speech. We celebrated the birthday of our Administrator, Clara Jones, with cake and presents and wished her many happy returns. The exhibition features an array of works in vibrant colour, texture and styles. It includes a commission for a flowerbed proposal to Southwark Council, with all work produced by CoolTan participants. Congratulations to all for putting together such an amazing show! You still have time to visit the exhibition, so come to see a wealth of wonderful art at: The Independent Gallery, CoolTan Arts Unit B, 237 Walworth Road, SE17 1RL Entry is free Mon-Thurs 10am-6pm Fri 10am-5pm

Stop press - again! Julius Xavier, singer/songwriter extraordinaire, is exploring the

idea of a music and/or spoken voice compilation issued for CoolTan Arts. If you know you have sound or video recordings from e.g. your own ventures arising from a CoolTan connection, and would like them to be considered, or new and unreleased material (well check the archive here too), please get in touch with Julius via Phil Ruthen at CoolTan Arts. The underlying themes may be civil rights for disabled people, coupled with full-on entertainment!

WORKSHOPS AND ACTIVITIES NEW!! Women only workshops

CoolTan Arts has two fabulous new workshops for women only. These workshops are open to any women who have had some form of mental distress and are free. Please contact Clara to find out more, or to sign up. clara@cooltanarts.org.uk, or ring CoolTan on 0207701 2696 Womens IT Every Wednesday 1.30-3.30pm: Learn Office and Photoshop computer skills at your own pace with other women. The group will be working towards making a poetry book with illustrations. Womens Poetry Every Thursday 2.15 4.15pm: Put pen to paper even if this is your first poem or if you already love creative writing. Learn more about poetry and reading poems.

New Workshop....Papermaking!! Thursdays 11-1pm Run by artist extraordinaire Stefan Finnis, this unique workshop will offer you the chance to learn new skills in the art of papermaking as you have never experienced it before! Prepare to get stuck in with this hands-on, innovative and fun new course, open to all abilities. To register or find out more please contact us at CoolTan Arts. Other Workshops: Mondays: Visual Arts 1-3pm, Sculpture 3.30-5.30pm Tuesdays: Basic IT 2-5pm Wednesday: Women Make Art 2-4pm, Knitting 4-6pm, Trips and Exhibitions Committee 4-5.30pm, Open Access IT 3.30-5.30, Self Advocacy 11-1pm Thursdays: Mixed Poetry 11-1pm, Largactyl Shuffle (historical research and walking group) 2-4pm, Podcasting 4-6pm, Self Advocacy 2-5pm Fridays: Textiles 1-3pm, Film Making 11-3pm. All workshops are open to people with personal budgets or direct payments and are eligible for commissioners to block buy places.

VOLUNTEERING Supported Volunteering

Would you like to volunteer but are afraid you might not have all the skills needed for it? We can help you build up skills need for volunteering and further employment! Structured volunteering at CoolTan Arts offers the chance to build confidence, keep active and develop a range of skills whilst making new friends. Volunteers are supported by staff to achieve personal goals, including gaining work experience and accessing training. Volunteer opportunities are available every day, in areas such as administration, database maintenance, PR, communications, marketing, graphic design, outreach, events and gallery assistant and art workshop/ tutor assistants. If you are interested please get in touch with Asia, asia@cooltanarts.org.uk

Self Advocacy Volunteers Wanted

If you have an interest in and/or background in adult education, administration, mentoring, and life-long learning courses we would be delighted to hear from you: Volunteers to assist are very welcome. Contact Self Advocacy Co-ordinator Phil Ruthen.

WELCOME AND DEPARTURES

We are wishing a fond farewell to Volunteer Co-ordinator Asia Wieloch, who will be leaving us at the end of the month to go travelling in Malaysia. The Volunteer Coordinator role will be taken on by existing staff member Clara Jones. Congratulations to Emma Thatcher, a volunteer of longstanding with our Largactyl Shuffle group, Emma will now be leading our new Womens IT course. This is an exciting career progression for Emma and we are delighted to offer her this opportunity to continue being part of the CoolTan family. We wish her the best of luck with her classes and are anticipating great results from this pairing. Expect fun,

creative and educational IT sessions which are free to join. To find out more contact CoolTan!

FUNDRAISING UPDATE
We are still working towards our 2011 Sponsored Walk fundraising target, any help you can give is very gratefully received you still have three months left to donate. Remember if you are UK taxpayer to tick the Gift Aid box and give us that little bit extra which could make all the difference! You can see pictures of the walk online at www.facebook.com/cooltanarts, and we hope they will inspire you to keep giving at: www.justgiving.com/cooltanartssponsoredwalk2011 To date, our fundraisers have made a total of 6225, a fantastic result but still short of our goal. You can help us get there and support our fight against the cuts. You can sponsor us online at www.justgiving.com/cooltanarts
CoolTan Arts believes mental wellbeing is enhanced by the power of creativity. We are proud to have as Patrons: Arthur Smith, Maggi Hambling, Sokari Douglas Camp, Ali Smith, Clare Allan and Rosemary Shrager Unit B 237 Walworth Rd London SE17 1RL T: 0207 701 2696 M: 0798 565 8443 W: www.cooltanarts.org.uk E: info@cooltanarts.org.uk Twitter: @cooltan4 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cooltanarts CoolTan Arts Registered charity number 1064231 Company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales reg. 3244552