Review of Year, 2022 – 2023

Shared here is our review of the year August 2022 to July 2023. Working with our Board of Trustees and colleagues to review our work in this way has again been an extraordinary moment of reflection and optimism. 

My particular highlight is from the work we’ve begun to create teams of Community Artscapers in schools across the County. We have a vision that every child and young person growing up here should have the opportunity to be an Artscaper each week. Seeing that fifty Artscaping sessions were led independently by these teams and hearing about the impact it has had has really helped me believe this vision can be realised. 

Ruth Sapsed, Director

We hope you enjoy browsing the incredible work that the charity has undertaken.

‘With CCI’s work touching so many people, it’s a joy to share some of the moments that have stood out for me personally over the past year:

• Reading a poem by Amelia, age 7, created as part of the ‘chalk dreams’ project 
• Joining the heart-warming Blizzard of Stories event, inspired by Rob Hopkins and the Transition Together movement, which brought togethers artists, activists, and poets to sweep us away in a whirlwind of short inspirational stories of hope, joy and creative resistance.
• Helping to hang the Fantastical Forest that CCI displayed at Wandlebury Country Park to mark Tree Charter Day in 2022, created by 590 young artists and 9 adult artists.

Another high point in the year was the wonderful event to celebrate the outcomes of Amplifying Artscapers — a year of programmes delivered by CCI and mental health colleagues with schools across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. The programmes give children space and time to re-imagine themselves and their place in the world in ways that help them flourish. Nearly 8000 people have now shared Artscaper experiences, and CCI is working closely with education, research and mental health partners to build programmes so that more children can benefit.

As well as hearing Nicola from University College London talk about the ever-growing evidence base for this work, highlights of the event included hearing two head teachers talk about the powerful impact the work had on children, teachers and their wider communities — and seeing mycorrhizal fungi. Finally, a beautiful speech from our patron, the wonderful Rob Macfarlane that perfectly summed up the spirit of the gathering.’

Richard McLean, Chair of Trustees