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 bit of “light” during the darkest time of the year.
This event was part of Night Visions, a winter-long, light-themed arts festival running from October to January funded by Arts Council England to showcase local creativity in the London Borough of Bexley
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Creativity in Action: Our Workshops
The heart of the event was found in the hands-on workshops where visitors became artists.
- The Big Panel: Participants painted small individual canvases reflecting what “light” meant to them. These were gathered to form a massive collective panel—a powerful visual representation of how our unique stories create a bright, supportive community.
- Lantern Making with Willow Winston: We were honored to have our patron, Willow Winston, lead a wonderful workshop where visitors created beautiful glowing lanterns and intricate decorations to add to the evening’s radiance.
- Stone Painting: Visitors of all ages sat together to transform simple pebbles into colorful, tactile keepsakes.
- The Fluorescent Dome: People decorated a magnificent dome with fluorescent painted leaves, adding them to giant flowers created in prior workshops to build a glowing, neon garden.
A Sanctuary for Reflection
Inside a dedicated dome, the Centrepieces Creative Group showcased their incredible work. This space served as a sanctuary for reflection, where visitors were invited to participate in two deeply symbolic activities:
- The Boxes of Thought: Guests wrote down their “light” and “dark” thoughts, placing them into glowing boxes to acknowledge the duality of the mental health journey.
- Hidden Messages: Using UV paint, guests wrote messages that remained invisible until illuminated by special lanterns—a metaphor for the hidden depths we all carry.
A Multi-Sensory Finale: Music and Light
Just before the final illumination, we shared a very special collaborative project. We premiered an amazing original song, born from a collaboration between our Creative Writing Group and the talented singer and composer Cherie Jones.
The song was accompanied by a moving music video put together by Karen Larkin, featuring many of the beautiful canvases created by our artists. It was a poignant moment that perfectly captured the spirit of the evening.
As the music faded, we concluded the night with the official “light up” of all the structures. In an instant, the sculptures and domes took on a completely new dimension, transforming the park into a vibrant beacon of hope.
A Heartfelt Thank You
An event of this scale is only possible through the hard work of our incredible team. We want to extend a massive thank you to all our volunteers who gave their time and energy to make this happen.
A special note of gratitude goes to Natalie Whiten, who oversaw the entire event. Natalie’s leadership and organization ensured that everything ran smoothly from start to finish, allowing our artists and the public to focus on the joy of creation.
Thank you to everyone who came out to support Centrepieces. Together, we are truly bringing light to mental health.
Three Domes: We are transforming the area by The Lodge into a glowing art gallery featuring three outdoor domes.
Make Your Mark: Everyone is invited to create their own small canvas panel. Paint or draw what “light” means to you—whether it’s a feeling, a person, or a memory.
The Growing Mural: Your personal panel will be added to our ever-growing community mural, becoming a permanent part of the day’s display.
The Grand Reveal: Stick around as the sun goes down! At dusk, the entire installation will be illuminated for a beautiful light display.
