Celebrating Communities of Wonder!
We’re celebrating three amazing years of Communities of Wonder!
Communities of Wonder was our fantastic three-year creative engagement programme that brought together young people across St Helens to explore identity, wellbeing, and social issues through art.
We presented 10 incredible projects with over 328 young people participating and 112 creative sessions delivered, we’re so proud of what’s been achieved. Our participants showed creativity, passion, and imagination. And the impact speaks for itself:
95% of people felt more positive after taking part
91% reported greater confidence
95% said they felt more involved and connected
85% developed new creative and social skills
A digital reach of 23,177 helped our messages travel even further
Each of our projects were unique, but they all shared the same ambition. To empower young people to express themselves, connect with others, and reimagine the world around them.
Let’s take a moment to look back at the wonderful projects that have been part of Communities of Wonder
🌈 Be Your Own Cup of Tea
We partnered with Over the Rainbow and artist Michelle Wren to celebrate LGBTQIA+ identity through a bold artwork that we displayed at St Helens Pride 2023. It was a deconstructed rainbow rising from a colourful chessboard that was made to be a striking metaphor for the challenges the LGBTQIA+ community navigates daily.
🧱 Our Wonderful Differences
In collaboration with UC Crew, our young people created a four-part graffiti mural tackling themes of mental health, racism, innovation and LGBTQIA+ rights.
🌱 Window of Change
Buzz Hub CDP and artist Emmer Winder reimagined St Helens town centre through an interactive exhibition, including a growth garden and glass-inspired ‘acts of kindness’, raising questions about tech, nature and our evolving world.
🎨 Hidden Isn’t Lost
In partnership with St Helens Young Carers Centre and artist Cady Davies, this heartfelt project explored what brought them joy through vibrant artworks created by young carers, celebrating their often-unseen contributions.
💚 Proud to be Deaf
With Deafness Resource Centre and artist Christopher Sacre, young people turned their community courtyard into a joyful, expressive space, showcasing Deaf pride and identity through murals and handmade decorations.
🌻 Project Positivity
We worked with Domestic Abuse WA12 and eco-artist Hattie Kongaunruan. Looking at sustainability and the power of protest art using wheat paste posters and recycled garden sculptures.
📞 How to Look After a Grieving Elephant (and other social animals)
In collaboration with Heart of Glass, Willowbrook Hospice and Child Bereavement UK, artist Jenny Gaskell created a thoughtful audio installation featuring children's voices offering support and wisdom on grief, inspired by social animals.
🛌 Park Farm Peace
Park Farm Youth Group and dancer Chad Taylor explored the power of sleep through movement and film, led entirely by young people themselves. It was a gentle reminder of the importance of rest for mental health.
🕊️ Dancing Queens and Pigeon Poets
YMCA youth and poet Dominic Berry embraced poetry, performance and self-expression in a hilarious and heartfelt anthology that captured friendship, identity and growing up in St Helens.
👨👧 Dad’s Little Helper
Working with St Helens Family Hubs and M.A.T.C.H. (Men and Their Children) resulted in a beautiful parenting handbook co-designed by dads, carers and artist Josef Minta.
