The story so far

Messums Creative is the not-for-profit arm of Messums ORG funded by the gallery and a distinguished circle of patrons. It provides access to making though community focussed outreach projects, workshops, residencies, talks, events and films. 

"To make is to live. To make thoughtfully is to begin to understand." - Johnny Messum

Since 2010 in UK education art been a non-essential subject, and as a result only those who can afford to do so have been able to continue with its provision. And yet making and creativity is one of the most individually expressive means of communication and in many instances opens up ways to be heard where other routes have failed. 

​

This is not an exclusively UK school based problem although there sectors where it is particularly acute in the UK. It is also part of more universal rethinking about imagination as opposed to outcome based learning in regards to problem solving as whole. This includes but is not limited to the role of empathy in our relationship with the environment and each other. 

What we do: 

​

We treat making as a form of language and introduce creativity within communities. We run workshops led by artists whose experience and philosophies align with this thinking. 

We examine and research cultural histories to better understand each other.

We run term-based teaching in materials within communities that tackle loneliness and empower individuals. 

We think and discuss solutions to problems based on creativity. 

​

What we would like to do: 

​

We would like to extend access to making within harder to reach communities providing more hands-on courses and learning.

We would like to provide the tools to empower individuals to make their own communities around creativity that become fully autonomous. 

We would like to invite discussions within society about our relationship with art to make it part of our evolving language and not just led by objects.

We see the potential for art globally within civic society as a means to  consider and to conceive of the lives of others.

​

"Art is an incredible universal language, it shares the stories of others and helps us to find bonds of understanding. It is furthered by connoisseurship and the pursuit of better. It is the voice of communities and the means by which problems are solved and solutions found through making and thinking with the hand. 

The process of making and the use of the hand is explorative and engaged in problem solving and has been since the 

These two roles are intwined within the aspirations and outcomes of this gallery adapting to the present and future times." - Johnny Messum ​​

Let’s Work Together

Get in touch so we can start working together.