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Blog Posts

  • Celebrating Neurodiversity

    – by Matthew Delaney –  This March, the Centrepieces Creative Writing group proudly took part in Neurodiversity Celebration Week. Over the course of several weeks, the group dived into several specially-made writing activities designed to promote awareness, empathy and understanding for neurodiversity and those who live with neurodiversity. One of the activities was a story picture prompt involving a Martian visitor who’d got lost (probably somewhere near Saturn…) and had found themselves in the bustling centre of London. Our writers were asked to write from the perspective of the Martian, exploring how they might interpret the unknown environment. Emphasis was… Read more

  • The Consciousness of Me

    “This exhibition is a response by our Artists, to a poem by Isotou Nadia Halliday.  The poem was originally a personal response to an experience. This exhibition seeks to widen the application of this wisdom developed from experience. To be conscious of all of who we are changes and flows as we experience one another. We are all inter connected and therefore generate the Consciousness of Me. The question arises, how aware are we of our effect on others and the responsibility we each hold to use this to mutual benefit.  The art has been selected to illustrate the Consciousness… Read more

  • Birds on a Wire

    – by Matthew Delaney – March 2026 Setting the Scene As part of Centrepieces’ 2026 project, “Birds on a Wire”, a team of Centrepieces artists and volunteers collaborated to produce a rolling landscape scene that would form a jigsaw puzzle-style collage comprised of canvases painted by members of the community. The scene, based on our borough, was loosely themed on a bus journey – featuring some key points from the local area. Over two days, we planned, sketched and painted the extended scene which was then divided into A6 canvas-sized tiles for participants to replicate. Alongside the visual backdrop, a… Read more

  • Positive Affirmation Ink Doodling Workshops

    – by Matthew Delaney – January is often a gloomy month. After the festive cheer of December, the start to the New Year can feel a little daunting for some. So this January I decided to put art into action to offer glimmers of hope and laughter amidst those darker evenings. Ink doodling is something I’ve found myself doing more and more. When I’m trying to concentrate, my mind frequently wanders into tangents, expressing some of the thoughts racing through my head. A love of typography has led to this expressive doodling becoming more and more elaborate over time. From… Read more

  • Bringing Light to Mental Health: A Magical Evening at Centrepieces

    On Saturday, January 10th, the air was crisp and the temperature was dropping, but the atmosphere at Hall Place was anything but cold. We gathered for our special winter event, “Bringing Light to Mental Health,” and despite the chill, the warmth of our community shone through. The event was a beautiful testament to the power of art, connection, and shared experience. We were overwhelmed by the dedication of our many volunteers who braved the weather to help us interact with the public. Throughout the night, we shared stories, raised awareness for mental health, and invited everyone to find a little… Read more

  • Towards the Light: The Song That Captured the Heart of Night Visions

    As part of the Night Visions festival in Bexley, we’ve witnessed a beautiful fusion of words, music, and visual art. Today, we are proud to share a video that brings all these elements together, featuring the original song, “Towards the Light.” A Song Written by the Community The soul of this track lies in its lyrics, which were collectively penned by the talented Centrepieces artists within our creative writing group. During their workshops, the group explored the deep, personal themes of the festival—investigating what “light” means to each of us during the winter months. These poetic reflections were then handed… Read more

  • Winter Exhibition Opens at The Drill Hall Sandwich

    Installation Day was a great success! Our annual Winter Exhibition at The Drill Hall Sandwich is now officially complete and ready for public viewing. We extend a giant thank you to all our dedicated volunteers. Their enthusiasm, brilliant help, and teamwork ensured a smooth and successful installation—the resulting display is truly fantastic! We invite everyone to come down and see the new exhibition. Why not make a day of it? Visitor Tip: Treat yourself to the delicious pizzas available at The Drill Hall’s Pizza restaurant Opening hours – Tuesday to Sunday, from 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm – Until 29/03/2026Address… Read more

  • “The Consciousness of Me” Poem by Nadia Halliday

    – Blog post by Nadia Halliday – “How was I inspired to write this poem? In 2011, I was having a mental breakdown and admitted myself to Green Parks, part of Princess Royal University Hospital, Bromley. I did so with the help of a professional who is now a trusted friend. My boyfriend of four years had been calling me and then cutting off the calls. He stopped going out with me because of the color of my skin. It was the last straw. I wrote this poem from the heart while in my hospital room. I revisit it from… Read more

  • The Art of Healing: How Painting Nourishes the Mind and Strengthens Community

    – by Rashikkha Ra Iyer – As we approach Mental Health Awareness Week 2025, the relationship between creative expression and psychological wellbeing demands our consideration. Among the numerous types of therapeutic activity, painting emerges as particularly potent and one that can simultaneously enhance both individual serenity and communal bonds. In this exploration I will try to elucidate how the age old practice of pigment application upon canvas can serve as both balm for the solitary psyche and as a catalyst for collective healing. The Neuroaesthetics of Solace Contemporary neuroscience reveals painting’s remarkable capacity to induce a state of flow. This… Read more

  • Emotional effect of beauty, music and art

    – by Rashikkha Ra Iyer – “Beauty belongs to life, but is immortalized in art” – Leonardo Da Vinci I come from a family where everyone is a patron of any form of art. My name Rashikkha in itself, apart from several other meanings, means the lover of art. Growing up in a family of people being emotional about art, I should have learned earlier about aesthetic emotions. Nonetheless it took  many years of university and personal experience to make sense of this extremely esoteric concept. I used to feel bemused every time my mom cried after listening to an… Read more