Drawing Connections: Empowering Communities Through Visual Storytelling for Social Change

Ruby Unsworth, August 2024

This project aims to engage young people and community members, particularly those in areas facing social challenges, by using visual storytelling to explore identity, relationships, and social cohesion, ultimately fostering understanding and reducing anti-social behaviour.

The Vision: ‘Let’s talk Comics’ - Art as a Tool for Social Change

Our project seeks to leverage the power of visual storytelling to address some of the most pressing issues facing our communities. By using comics, graphic novels, and illustrations, we aim to create engaging, accessible, and impactful stories that resonate with individuals from all walks of life. These stories will serve as both a mirror and a lens—reflecting the experiences and challenges faced by our communities while offering new perspectives and solutions.

At the heart of this initiative is the goal of making social cohesion messages accessible to everyone, including those who may struggle with literacy. Through the universal language of art, we can explore sensitive subjects in a non-verbal, yet deeply meaningful way. This approach not only engages the mind but uses forms of expression accessible to all.

Bringing the Vision to Life: Workshops and Community Engagement

Our workshops are designed to be more than just art classes—they are spaces for self-discovery, reflection, and community building. We will be working closely with secondary schools and community groups, both in Bolton and potentially across Greater Manchester, to create bespoke visual stories that speak directly to the well-being and social cohesion themes relevant to each group.

These workshops will be carefully tailored to support young people in exploring their self-identity, personal experiences, relationships, and their place within society. By grounding our work in the data provided by BeeWell—focusing on areas like hobbies, school life, environment, and relationships—we ensure that our stories are not just creative, but also contextually relevant and impactful.

Selected students and community members from partnering schools, community enterprises and charities will have the opportunity to collaborate on group and individual projects, culminating in a series of exhibitions that will not only celebrate their creativity but also serve as educational resources for their schools and communities. These exhibitions will be complemented by larger, public displays—such as digital billboards and shopping centre screens—that will bring these important messages to a wider audience.

Collaboration and Support: A Community Effort

This project would not be possible without the support of our community partners. Creatives Now, a Bolton-based creative health hub, will play a central role in providing the necessary accommodation, administrative support, and partnership expertise to drive this initiative forward. I will lead the artistic direction, and Naomi Lord, Creatives Now’s cultural education and creative health consultant, will ensure that our workshops promote safe and supportive environments for all participants.

We are actively seeking additional support from local libraries, councillors, and GM Police to help spread the word and ensure that our project reaches those who can benefit most from it.

Looking Ahead: A Year of Creativity and Connection

Our journey begins in November 2024, with a kick-off event during a comic and illustration festival in Bolton. This festival will serve as both a celebration of art and a launchpad for our project, setting the stage for a year of creativity, connection, and community-building. Over the following 12 months, we will hold three workshops and exhibitions each month, with a focus on both schools and community organisations.

The project will conclude in November 2025 with a grand celebration exhibition that showcases the incredible work produced by participants from across Bolton and Greater Manchester. This final exhibition will not only celebrate the artistic achievements of our community but also serve as a testament to the power of art to bring people together and inspire positive change.

Ruby Unsworth, from Remembering, fineliner, promarker, non-photo blue pencil, pencil crayon, pastel, watercolour, chalk and masking tape on tracing paper and cartridge paper

Join Us

As we embark on this exciting journey, we invite you to join us. Whether you're an artist, educator, community leader, or simply someone who believes in the power of art to make a difference, there is a place for you in this project. Together, we can harness the power of visual storytelling to create a more understanding, empathetic, and connected community.

Ruby Unsworth is an associate artist with Creatives Now. Creatives Now is a creative health hub that fosters skill-sharing and circular economy practices. At Creatives Now, artists like Ruby can exchange their skills or time for studio space, creating a thriving community of collaboration. If you have an idea for an exhibition or event, consider offering services such as exhibition invigilation or conducting art workshops for various age groups in return for access to studio space. Reach out to Creatives Now to explore these exciting opportunities for creative exchange and collaboration.