Creative Communities
An SVF funded project
PAVO development officer Louise recently visited a project funded by the Social Value Development Forum. Read on to find out what she discovered about the project & the fantastic work they are doing to support young people.
On Friday, I had the pleasure of visiting Arts Connection at The Workhouse in Llanfyllin to see their SVF-funded project, Creative Communities.
They run weekly arts workshops in Llanfyllin for home-educated young people aged 10–16, alongside pop-up sessions in rural towns and villages. The atmosphere was phenomenal—calm, relaxed, and full of young people genuinely enjoying their creative time.
The two facilitators, who bring a wealth of artistic knowledge, were incredibly approachable, kind, and supportive. They consistently reinforced that art is open to interpretation—there’s no “wrong” way to create.
The images above are from a portrait embroidery session—working directly onto images, using materials such as paper and hessian.
The work they’ve produced so far is fantastic!
I also spoke with a parent who shared how much this space has meant for her and her daughter (16), who is no longer in school due to bullying. She described the relief of knowing her daughter now has a safe, welcoming environment, and how she has grown into a calmer, more confident young person who is beginning to enjoy her creativity again.
I had the chance to speak with all of the young people, and a common theme was how much they value having a space where they can simply “be.” They are actively involved in shaping the sessions too—at the end, they used a large sheet with markers and sticky notes to vote on and suggest art forms for next term.
The aim of the Social Value Development Fund is to fund new or clearly extend existing social value sector preventative services and activities that fill and bridge gaps in current provision that improve mental and physical well-being, help individuals live an independent life and aim to reduce the need for higher level intervention, whilst ensuring alignment with the Powys Health and Care Strategy. The funding has been made available from the Powys Regional Partnership Board via the Social Value Forum.
This Project, Creative Communities run by Arts Connection was one of 9 projects to receive funding through the Social Value Forum Development Fund 2025-2027.
If you would like to find out more about Arts Connection and/or the Creative Communities project, get in touch via their website or
Email: kerala@artsconnection.org.uk – Projects | Prosiectau
Phone:01691 648 929/ 07814 523 521
Or find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artsconnectionpowys