WELCOME TO COOLTAN ARTS E-BULLETIN APRIL 2011

Events take place at CoolTan Arts Unit B 237 Walworth Rd SE171RL unless otherwise stated.
www.cooltanarts.org.uk www.afunnyfarm.org.uk info@cooltanarts.org.uk
Tel: 020 7701 2696. Open Mon-Thu 10am-6pm, Fri 10am-5pm.
Twitter: @cooltan4 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cooltanarts

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – DON’T MISS THESE EVENTS

Free Workshops for Southwark Residents *Sign up now*
Sat 16 April, 12noon at Maudsley Hospital: CoolTan Arts Largactyl Shuffle: Mad Hatters Walk
Tue 19 April 3pm-4.30 pm at CoolTan Arts: Community Advocacy Meeting
Wed 20 April, 6pm-8pm at CoolTan Arts: Health Q&A
Sat 21 May, 12noon at Tate Modern: Largactyl Shuffle: May Day Walk
Sat 11 June, 1pm-5pm at CoolTan Arts: Mad Hatters Tea Party and Open Day
Sat 18 June, 12midnight: Midnight Largactyl Shuffle Walk
Sat 15 October, 11.30am at Maudsley Hospital: World Mental Health Day Sponsored Walk

WORKSHOPS FOR ALL

Free Workshops for Southwark Residents! Starting in April *sign up now*

We a short programme of free arts and multimedia workshops open to all Southwark residents aged 19 and
over. Workshops are taught by professional artists and tuition is free for one workshop of 10 hours (five 2-hour
sessions). It's a great opportunity to enhance your creative skills or have a go at a new art form. Sign up now!
Have fun, meet new people, gain new skills!

Workshops include:
Portrait Drawing: Tuesday 12/04 - 10/05/2011, 3pm-5pm
Visual Arts / Painting (1): Thursday 14/04-12/05/2011, 4pm-6pm
Visual Arts / Painting (2): Wednesday 13/04/-11/05/2011, 4pm-6pm
Visual Arts / Drawing: Tuesday 17/05-14/06/2011, 3pm-5pm
Basic IT: Wednesday 04/05-01/06/2011 11am-1pm
Sewing Machine for Beginners: Wednesday 01/06-27/06/2011, 6pm-8pm
Digital photography: Thursday 02/06-29/06/2011, 4pm-6pm
Photoshop: Monday 06/06-04/07/2011, 2pm-4pm

Participants need to commit to all five sessions and complete the course. Places for the workshops are
allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

Interested? For more information, check CoolTan Arts’s website http://www.cooltanarts.org.uk ,contact us on
020 7701 2696, email clara@cooltanarts.org.uk. To book, please download the enrolment form from CoolTan
Arts’ website (also available at CoolTan Arts offices), and return the form to CoolTan Arts along with a deposit
of £10 (unemployed) or £20 (employed). Cheques need to be made payable to CoolTan Arts. The deposit will
be returned upon completion of the course and attendance of all 5 sessions.

UPCOMING EVENTS
CoolTan Arts Largactyl Shuffle: Mad Hatters Walk
Sat 16 April 2011, 12noon; Meet at Maudsley Hospital
Join CoolTan Arts Largactyl Shuffle from Maudsley Hospital to Tate Modern, a fun guided cultural walk for
mental and physical wellbeing, using art, exercise, humour and history and destigmatising mental distress.
The Mad Hatters Walk is an intergenerational event with a traditional Easter egg hunt and fun in the park!
Bring your grandchildren and join CoolTan Arts for a family day out, learn new things, meet like-minded
people, make friends.
Please wear comfortable shoes and bring a bottle of water. The walk is accessible to wheelchair users and
people with disabilities.
Come along and add to the discussion and exploration, share your thoughts and ideas, enjoy the company of
others and have fun.
The walk starts at 12noon at the Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, SE5 8AZ, and ends at Tate Modern. Call
CoolTan Arts on 07985658443 if you cannot find the group of walkers on the day.
The walk is free but voluntary donations will be appreciated.
Health Q&A
Wed 20 April, 6pm-8pm at CoolTan Arts
How will the cuts to NHS and Mental Health Services impact on Southwark residents? People's Republic of
Southwark have invited those who know, the policy makers and the professionals to take part in a Q&A
session with those on the receiving end of the cuts. There will be plenty of opportunity for questions from the
audience.
Confirmed speakers:
Benjamin Spencer, Conservative, psychiatrist
Eleanor Margolies, Green

All welcome! Join the debate, ask questions, share opinions!

Venue: CoolTan Arts, Unit B, 237 Walworth Road, London SE17 1RL.
Please check http://www.peoplesrepublicofsouthwark.co.uk for more details or contact
info@peoplesrepublicofsouthwark.co.uk.

REGULAR WORKSHOPS AND ACTIVITIES

Community Advocacy Meeting Tuesday 19 April 3pm-4.30 pm
Come along to our next community advocacy meeting, meet like-minded people, get your voice heard and
discuss what’s happening in mental health and disability services both locally and nationally.
We will have Yvonne Linton from Cambridge House Advocacy as a guest, and topics for discussion include
an update on Freedom Passes and Personal Budgets.
More updates are available from Rosie Agnew on rosie@cooltanarts.org.uk or call 02077012696. We look
forward to seeing you!

Paper Art and Product-Making Group

Are you interested in doing something creative and helping raise money for CoolTan Arts at the same time?
Our product-making group design and make products to sell, such as paper, cards and small gifts. The group
is facilitated by professional artists and is free! Come and join us on Thursday mornings from 11am -1pm. To
book a place, call Rosie on 0207 7012696 or email rosie@cooltanarts.org.uk

Theatre Creation Group

Would you like to get involved in our Theatre Creation group, develop improvising skills, and meet like minded
people? Workshops are every Monday night from 6pm-8pm, and cost £6 for 2 hours. To book a place, call
Rosie on 0207 701 2696 or email rosie@cooltanarts.org.uk.

Filmmaking/Podcasting project about Personalisation *New project*

Fridays, 11am-1pm at CoolTan Arts
Would you like to be a part of a unique and exciting art projects aiming to explore the process any individual
need to go through to access a personal budget?
Are you interested in filmmaking, want to meet new people, learn new skills?
CoolTan has a new Filmmaking project about personalisation! Personalisation is a major shift in the way care
and support is provided and it will affect all of us. Get involved and join the workshop on Fridays 11am-1pm at
CoolTan Arts. Interested? Please e-mail Asia on asia@cooltanarts.org.uk or call 020 701 2696.

Self-Advocacy Training Skills Programme Spring / Summer 2011

Self-advocacy skills training can assist in knowing and accessing your rights and getting your
voice heard in many situations.
The full Programmes 2 and 3 Self-advocacy Skills Training courses are underway! The next
“Introduction to Advocacy/Self-Advocacy” is on Wednesday morning, 13th April 11am, and
there’s full programme listings via CoolTan Arts’ websites soon - please do check out.
11 confirmed topics, for example Mental Health Law, the Equalities Act and tackling
discrimination, the benefits system, consumer rights areas, non-verbal communication, amongst a wide range
of relevant and topical subjects. All underpinned by exploring self-advocacy skills. Plus, chance to participate
in a range of linked subjects like self-esteem, assertiveness skills over the next 4 months.

Please get in touch to find out more, get a booking form, and join in!!
More details and updates available at CoolTan Arts, or phone, email or write to us and ask for Phil Ruthen,
Advocacy Training Coordinator. T: 020 7701 2696 or  M: 0798 565 8443  phil@cooltanarts.org.uk
Join a regular workshop at CoolTan
Do you have a personal budget, access to direct payments or other funding? Do you want need to get out
of the house, be creative, learn new skills? Come along to one of CoolTan’s workshops, meet people,
learn new skills, have fun, break out of isolation with like-minded people, take part in exhibitions and
events. Check out our services on www.shop4support.com/cooltanarts.
Please contact Rosie on 020 77012696 or email rosie@cooltanarts.org.uk for more details.

Services for Health and Social Care Organisations, mental health practitioners, GPs, social
workers, key workers…
CoolTan Arts can work with GPs and other health professionals to meet the social care needs of their clients.
We are very keen to meet you and your teams and tell you more about the services CoolTan Arts offers.
If you are a community mental health practitioner and you would like to refer clients, please contact us on 020
77012696 or email referrals@cooltanarts.org.uk.
If you are interested in finding out more about us and how we can work with your organisation, or want a
CoolTan representative at your team meetings to give an introduction to CoolTan, please contact us on 020
77012696 or email rosie@cooltanarts.org.uk.

VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
Why volunteer? – Need help getting back into work, want to give back to the community
Opportunity of the month: Media and press assistant
We are currently looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Press and Media volunteer to work with the
Communications Officer and support CoolTan’s media presence and press work, delivering a wide range of
communications activities.

Volunteers do a wonderful job and CoolTan couldn’t exist without the work they do. Volunteering at CoolTan
Arts can help you gain confidence and new skills, get work experience, make new friends.
Volunteer opportunities are available every day. If you would like to help us, please speak to Asia at CoolTan,
contact her on 020 7701 2696, email volunteers@cooltanarts.org.uk or check the website
http://cooltanarts.org.uk/category/voluntary-position/ for more details.

RECENT NEWS
Southwark Civic Awards
CoolTan Arts and our volunteer film maker Richard won Southwark Civic Awards.
The Southwark Civic Association Award Scheme recognises those that make a significant contribution to the
life of the borough.
We are excited that we have been offered these awards, and that our work and the achievements of our
participants and volunteers have been recognised. Congratulations to all involved!

Due to the funding cuts, CoolTan Arts is losing a third of its annual income. We do all we can to mitigiate this
but we need your support so CoolTan Arts can continue to provide our much-needed services. Can you help?

Last, but not least, a big thanks to our donors, funders, supports, and to all the people who give their time and
energy to CoolTan Arts and make what we do possible.
CoolTan Arts believes mental wellbeing is enhanced by the power of creativity.
We are proud to have as Patrons: Maggi Hambling, Sokari Douglas Camp, Ali Smith, Clare
Allan and Rosemary Shrager
Unit B 237 Walworth Rd London SE17 1RL T: 0207 701 2696 M: 0798 565 8443
W: www.cooltanarts.org.uk E: info@cooltanarts.org.uk
Twitter: @cooltan4 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cooltanarts
CoolTan Arts Registered charity number 1064231 Company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales reg. 3244552