Open Arts are an arts organisation based in Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast which has been established since 1992. It supports people with a learning or physical disability and they have around 500 total beneficiaries per year, with a core group of 150 who attend weekly. 90% of their users have a disability and are referred to their services via word of mouth, other third sector organisations such as Angel Eyes, RNIB and Cedar Foundation.
They run a core programme for disabled adults in multiple art forms such as drama, visual arts, creative writing and they also have an Open Arts Community Choir and Luminous Soul Dance Company. Each core group meets weekly during 3 terms over the course of the year with approximately 35 sessions per group.
During last year all of their activities were moved to online delivery but they are now starting to deliver face to face activities again but using a blended approach as some members still wish to continue on zoom for now.
The Charity recently received a £5,000 grant towards their Finance and Admin Worker salary costs. In total we have supported this group with 5 Community Grants since 2014 totaling £21,000.
