West Tamar Youth Art House


Sarah Squires

 The West Tamar Youth Art House commenced at the start 2012 with the focus of developing an arts project for young people with disabilities in the West Tamar municipality. It was felt, a need for a group that caters for the artistic development of the young people in the West Tamar region was identified by a number of young adults (and their families) living with disabilities who had left formal education in the last few years but who wish to continue. By establishing this group it has enabled the group to explore in art with a range of mediums allowing them to discovering their own creative talents. This will in turn will evolve their style, when learning new and established techniques. This is currently being explored by utilising a range of mediums, local artists and volunteers who kindly donate their time, experience and knowledge to this project. Workshops are then conducted every Friday at the West Tamar Physiotherapy Art Shed.  

Louisa Jones
The West Tamar Youth Art House is committed to making sure it is successful for all people participating: artists, students and volunteers. It is believed this a fantastic opportunity  for our local artists to develop the confidence to interact with young people living with a disability, which in turn will give the young people confidence to become the budding artists they aspire to be. From this notion the West Tamar Youth Art House is a fledging arm to the West Tamar Arts Group, structuring their ideals around West Tamar Arts Group to being a community arts group. By ‘aiming to encourage and develop the artistic potential of all residents in our community, including those living with a disability’. This will help these people ‘contribute to the development of a socially inclusive, healthy and resilient community’. 

From this affiliation and project, it has therefore enabled to create a learning experiences and a positive outcome for the artists, volunteers and community.