Current work

Thanks to further funding cARTrefu will continue for another two years. The third phase of cARTrefu began in September 2019, but differs from the two previous phases.

We’re running regular half day workshops across Wales to introduce care home staff to cARTrefu, giving practical advice and tips on how to run creative activities in care homes, building staff confidence, and using existing resources.

Our artists will also work with care home staff over four weeks to develop sustainable cARTrefu activity plans, which are accessible and easy to deliver. The workshops and activity plans are both free to care homes.

We’re also running free cARTrefu workshops across Wales for artists and creatives interested in learning about the cARTrefu model and an opportunity to share best practice about working in care homes, with a particular focus on supporting residents living with dementia. We have a long-term aim of building capacity within the wider arts sector to respond to the needs of the care homes.

If you think your care home would benefit from the cARTrefu workshops, and / or having one of our artists work with you on an activity plan, then please complete the application form 

As part of the project, we have also designed an Activity Pack for care homes, based on the work of the cARTrefu team of artists developed in care homes. We have now more than doubled the size of the original pack.

The Activity Pack features simple but effective activities for care home staff to run with residents and are free to use for all care homes in Wales.

All the activities are designed so they can be delivered without any expert knowledge, and each activity also has an indication of how much preparation time is involved, and also whether the activity is suitable for individuals or groups.

Another aim of the project has been to use exhibitions to raise public awareness of creative life in care homes, though the art work which has been created with, and inspired by, the people living in, working in and visiting care homes.

The cARTrefu Cube allows us to exhibit throughout Wales, by bringing the work of local artists to the public. We’re continuing the cARTrefu Cube Tour into 2020 and beyond to exhibit the work of our cARTrefu artists, made with and in response to their time working with residents in care homes.