Communities Coming Together Through Art

Jellyfish swim together in times of need – when they do, they are called a bloom. The Bloom is a new initiative from charity Friends for Good. An art activity and art therapy class. “We swim together is a great theme for the troubled times we find ourselves in, especially in Victoria right now”, said Chief Executive Patricia Lauria.

One of the charity’s volunteers put forward the idea, as she found that drawing helped her stay calm. Concerned for people in the community suffering from anxiety and depression, she wanted others to participate in a shared activity. “Many people have found art to bring great benefits in terms of wellbeing, and with more than 3 million Australians experiencing high levels of loneliness even before the pandemic (Loneliness in Australia, www.friendsforgood.org.au), we want to bring this into focus and provide avenues for connection” said Patricia.

To participate in The Bloom project, enter your drawing or painting of a jellyfish – anyone can have a go – and then come along to an on-line exhibition of the work and interactive art class at 7pm on September the 11th. The charity says that this is not an activity just for artists and hopes people of all ages and abilities will join in. Patricia spoke of future plans, “we hope this will be the first of many activities in the arts space to encourage people to link to others.”

If you are feeling lonely or are socially isolated and would like to have a chat: Call FriendLine