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Bluecoat Display Centre (Bdc) is an independent charitable organisation, which aims to promote contemporary applied arts both nationally and internationally, to support the craft infrastructure through: extending audiences for contemporary craft and working with the leading North West practitioners, and to enhance lives through education, participation and learning, and improving the health and wellbeing of the communities of Liverpool and beyond.

We regularly work with our local north west universities to provide professional development and exhibition opportunities for their students and recent graduates including Manchester School of Art, Bolton University, Liverpool Hope University and University of Central Lancashire.

The Bdc outreach programme was launched in 2012, delivering high quality contemporary craft workshop and residency experiences, facilitated by some of the north west’s leading craft practitioners. The programme has formed lasting partnerships with organisations including the Royal Liverpool University (RLH) & Broadgreen Hospitals (BG), The Walton Centre (TWC), Wirral Autistic Society, Liverpool Wellbeing Centres under the PSS (Person Shaped Support) umbrella, Liverpool Hope University, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital (AHCH), the Brain Charity and the NHS Merseycare Foundation Trust’s Life Rooms Recovery College in Walton, and Clock View inpatient unit at Walton Hospital and Maggie’s Merseyside.

We aim to improve the mental health and wellbeing of communities in Merseyside using craft workshops as vehicles to engage with isolated and marginalised individuals. Taking part in craft activities can alleviate the symptoms of anxiety, depression, loneliness and can enhance lives through learning, developing new skills and interacting socially. Continuing our work with partners will help to further extend our audience and breakdown barriers with under-represented and disregarded groups.

The programme has reached a wide range of groups in the community including:

• people affected by anxiety, depression and mental health issues.
• adult female offenders and women at risk of offending,
• people with learning and physical difficulties
• refugees and asylum seekers
• children under long-term hospital care
• elderly patients living with dementia
• neurological and stroke rehabilitation patients, and
• survivors of bereavement by suicide.

Since 2012 we have engaged directly with over £2,900 participants through our outreach work.

Bdc is now exploring ways to fund a programme of residencies of craft-makers in secondary schools in Merseyside. The research has given Bdc staff a guide to providing residencies for craft-makers in classroom situations, and will help to realise the widely shared belief in the value of making as a central part of the curriculum, allowing students and staff to benefit from the expertise of the artist and the broader holistic benefits of promoting arts subjects for learning and wellbeing.

Registered charity number: 1136680