5.2 Tackling Barriers

“Older people from minoritised communities face significant structural barriers in accessing arts and culture“. This statement comes from our policy document and is underpinned by multiple findings relating to both practicalities and attitudes that get in the way of participation and creativity. These barriers need to be addressed to realise positive wellbeing effects. This is an extract from a film about one of the prototype projects ‘Expressive Pockets’. The project team worked hard to understand and find ways to overcome barriers of living situations, of disability, of lack of confidence: they rolled out a series of hybrid workshops that allow for the full online participation of people who find it difficult to leave their home; they mailed all the materials needed to participate fully from home; they embedded audio into their products for those who may be visually impaired; they have encouraged people to express their diverse identities and celebrated difference. This project has gone on to deliver multiple workshops within Bristol and online, beyond the life of the original project.   

To see the full Expressive Pockets film, as well as other films about our prototype teams, please click here.

Find out how to create your own expressive pocket by visiting this prototype’s page on our website.