Open Art Box CIC facilitates visual art workshops for people living with early-stage dementia and their carers. Our focus is to bring people together through friendly, creative and engaging artistic activities often in partnership with other organisations. 

We run fortnightly face-to-face art sessions in Stevenage and North Herts. Alongside this we deliver art boxes to those more isolated in the community. The art boxes, originally developed in response to Covid-19 lockdowns, supported people living with dementia and their carers to stay connected and creative throughout the pandemic. They have proved an extremely effective way to help support those in our community affected by dementia, who may find getting out more difficult. We have therefore built them into our service, as a stepping stone for people who's circumstances do not make attending social groups possible.

Why the community needs us
There is an estimated 15,000 people over 65 living with dementia in Hertfordshire and 600 people with young onset dementia, and this number is increasing. A study by the Alzheimers Society states two thirds of people with dementia live in the community and that this group were at extreme risk of isolation due to stigma, feeling like a burden or lacking confidence. Many people living with dementia in the community will be being cared for by an unpaid family member, who can feel equally isolated and forgotten. The effect of the pandemic on people with dementia and their carers has made these difficulties and pressures even more challenging. Art has proved to be a fantastic way to bring people together, help them be involved and part of their community. Through empowering the voices of those most isolated, we can help to build a more resilient and inclusive community.

Our impact on the community
Our projects bring people together through the joy and freedom of creativity. Our participants talk of feelings of increased confidence, the enjoyment of trying new things and feeling more connected to others. Through our creative projects we support our participants with dementia and their carers by offering shared meaningful experiences, encouraging positive connections and promoting a sense of fun through experimentation. Supporting both the person with dementia and the carer is fundamental in everything we do as an organisation and we work with families over time to help nurture their wellbeing through creativity.