Groundswell Arts is a London based organisation that designs and delivers creative education programmes for 0-11 year olds, their families and teachers.
We value an inclusive approach to creative learning, which supports and nurtures the wellbeing of children. Our initiatives are designed to reduce educational disadvantage and develop teachers’ confidence to embed creativity and the arts into the curriculum.
Contact us
Please get in touch to find out more about our products and services or find out how you can get involved.
About us
Groundswell Arts is a not-for-profit arts organisation based in Haringey, London.
We develop and deliver creative learning projects and programmes in early years settings, primary schools and communities incorporating music, art, theatre, storytelling, dance and film making. Artistic Directors Gareth Howells and Angeline Conaghan established the company in 2010 through a desire to bring our shared artistic skills, knowledge and values together. Today we employ and collaborate with a wide range of freelance arts practitioners and partners working closely with educators, parents, young children and in the community.
We devise creative programmes that support high levels of community engagement and inclusion. We promote learning, exploration, play and reflection whilst supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing, language, communication, and transitions.
We also focus on parents and carers and their role as primary influencers and educators. We deliver training and staff development around each of our projects for early years and primary educators. We empower our partners to have confidence in their use of creative arts approaches and work towards these to enhance all aspects of the curriculum.
Creative Learning
We encourage and facilitate innovative environments where creativity , thinking, questioning, and the skills and ideas of teachers, children and carers can flourish.
Wellbeing
We nurture and empower children and families wellbeing and resilience through the arts.
We promote and celebrate individual identity promoting a sense of belonging to all.
Inclusion
We value all participants voices and create spaces for people
to tell their own stories in their own way.
We strive to consider all participants needs and learning styles within our practice.
Community
We create stronger, happier, healthier and more connected communities in our schools and neighbourhoods through the power of shared intergenerational creative experiences and learning.
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“Meanwhile, there are some rumours circulating, particularly in Key Stage 2, that the researchers who have been working in school are in fact not researchers, but actors!!! As I said to the children who bought this to my attention, they definitely told me they were researchers! Today’s assemblies with the researchers were full of mystery and intrigue – let’s see what next week brings – Gareth and team, thanks for bringing such magic to school at such a difficult time!”
Lucy Walker Colins – Head Teacher, Stroud Green Primary 2020 (Forgotten Stories project)
“It has just been such a wonderful experience. The generosity of the organisers and the artist we worked with made us feel so welcome and I just cannot believe that my children will be able to enjoy this work for the rest of their life.
What a fabulous opportunity and privilege to have been part of this!”
Parent from the Sing Our Story project 2021
“The Communication Pod has allowed children of all ages to explore and develop their imagination which has in turn supported their speech and language as well as improving their literacy skills. Children are able to touch and talk about artefacts which broadens their vocabulary and allows them to express themselves freely in a safe and fascinating environment.”
Nick Hewlett Principal Adviser for Early Years Haringey (2019) (The Communication Pod)”
“Slowly and timidly people are coming out of their houses once a week during lockdown to clap for the NHS. It’s a relief to see our neighbours and our community but it is not enough… Groundswell’s helped us to get a step further with the ” We are Here festival ” and with great ideas to bring us together again (together with our neighbour, our street, our community…).
My children participated in the Big Chalk Day. It was a beautiful day and it was the perfect occasion to step out of our houses and add some colours to our walls and our street. I personally loved walking around seeing colourful rainbows, messages on the floor, drawings on walls. A nice reminder that people really need to be part of something and not just stay behind closed doors.
Congratulations on the We are Here in Lockdown. It was such a beautiful initiative”
N Parent (2020)
“During lockdown the events that were organised helped to connect us to the community in a period where we would have otherwise felt very isolated. It inspired a communication that allowed us to relate to each other through a shared experience and brought about a feeling of togetherness.
I think the We are Here events allowed families and children to reach out to one another. It linked the community together as well as providing entertainment outside of the home in a safe way. It also offered something to look forward to while there didn’t seem a lot going on.”
L Parent (2020)
“The Sing Our Story project has reached out to hundreds of children and families who have had the opportunity to compose an individual song which will be a treasured memory forever. This unique approach of Groundswell Arts in supporting these families has been invaluable to the children and parents as well as the settings/ schools.”
Nick Hewlett Principal Adviser for Early Years Haringey (2019)
Donate to our work
A donation to Groundswell Arts supports our programmes in a variety of ways for example;- A donation of £20 can fund the cost per child of participation in one of our Story Lab green screen and animation programmes.
- A donation of £100 can fund a bespoke song for a child as part of our Sing Our Story programme.
- A donation of £1000 can enable us to offer a series of workshops and training in a school on programmes such as Sing Our Story, Story Lab. Light Box or Forgotten Stories.
Creative Resources
Visit our inspiring fun and creative resources page to support both school and home learning including puppetry, arts and craft projects, hands on science, music and film making tutorials and downloadable activity sheets.Black History Month Celebration with Family Jam
We had a brilliant time working in partnership with Enfield Music Service to hold our first in-person Family Jam in Enfield, funded by Youth Music. We celebrated Black History Month with some African Drumming, Storytelling and songs with Lucky from Inspire Works, Carnival Mask Making with Witty Ditty Designs. The event took place at the brilliant Pop-up store, Culture ... Read more
Our London Community Story
We have been lucky enough to be funded by the London Mayor / GLA and Groundwork to share some of the collections of work and responses from children and families to work we did in our local community entitled We Are Here and We Are Still Here during the 2020 lockdown. As part of this ... Read more
Pop Up Green Screen at Green Man
The Groundswell Arts Team had a brilliant time this Summer working at The Green Man Festival running their Pop Up Green Screen Project linked to the theme of dinosaurs Children and families had the opportunity to make and film their dino cup puppets and then film themselves being chased Jurassic Park eat your heart out ... Read more
We Are Here in Lockdown 2
We are currently delivering a new series of events and programmes to support families and responding to their needs in the pandemic following on from work we have developed since May. We were delighted to begin working with a group of 8 families in 1-1 sessions at Woodlands Park Children’s Centre last week. Children and ... Read more
