It’s Time to Party! (But in a Mindful, Creative Way.)

May 15, 2026May 15, 2026

It’s Time to Party! (But in a Mindful, Creative Way.)

This is your final reminder that we are hosting a poetry gig and art exhibition opening party tonight Friday 15th May at Leadworks, 170 Rendle Street, Stonehouse. It’s from 7pm until 9pm, and it’s free! I’ve written a new poem for the occasion, and I’ll be singing a few songs with Abi Bee. Here’s a sneak preview:

Tonight is the Night!

Arrive from 7.00pm for drinks and mingling
Performances begin at 7.30pm
Exclusive first viewing of the exhibition
Music, poetry, comedy and live performance
A relaxed, welcoming atmosphere; no dress code, no formality
The evening features poet and Mindful Art Club co-founder Peggy Melmoth; therapist and Greenspace community hub leader Fiona Spicer; VAWG campaigner and poet Zoe Reilly; and local songwriter Abi Bee performing acoustic guitar and vocals.


https://www.leadworksprojects.com

There will also be original poetry read by the women who created it, a My Story segment; Plymouth women sharing their journeys of healing through mindful art – handmade pin badges by Yvette Moran, and information about local women’s services. Of course, you don’t have to be a woman to come along, so please invite your work colleagues, friends and family!

The exhibition runs from 15th–20th May. But the opening night is the night. This is the one.

Reserve your free place on Eventbrite →

It’s free. Donations on the night are welcome and go directly to supporting people in Plymouth on their journey toward recovery.

May 5, 2026May 5, 2026

A Year in the Making: Our Art Exhibition Opens This May

A Year in the Making: Our Art Exhibition Opens This May

A year ago, a group of women walked through the doors of The Sunflower Women’s Centre not knowing quite what to expect. Some were on waiting lists for therapy. Some were navigating recovery. Some just needed somewhere to be.

What happened next is about to go on the walls.

The Exhibition

We are so proud to announce that our art exhibition opens at Leadworks in Stonehouse, Plymouth, on Friday, 15th May and runs until 20th May. Every piece on display was created by a Mindful Art Club participant, as part of a twelve-month project funded by the Livewell Foundation, in partnership with Greenspace Community Hub, Gifted Women, Sunflower Women’s Centre and Leadworks Projects CIC.

This is not just an art exhibition. It is proof of what happens when women feel safe enough to create.

Come to the Opening Night

We would love you to join us for a very special free opening night on Friday, 15th May. Doors open at 7 pm, with performances beginning at 7.30 pm.

The evening includes live acoustic music from local songwriter Abi Bee, poetry from established female poets and newcomers to the scene, and personal stories from Plymouth women about how mindful art has helped them through some of life’s hardest chapters.

There will be plenty of time to mingle, browse the exhibition and meet the artists themselves.

In Their Own Words

Ellen Wilton, who attended our weekly sessions, put it better than we ever could:

“I’ve been fighting for therapy for years. Some things in life are only meant to be said to a professional, like a therapist. So while I was on a waiting list, I showed up at Mindful Art Club. I cried. I identified with people. I got the warmest welcome from Emma and Peggy. I left having not felt the one thing I thought I would encounter: judgement. My life has improved in so many ways because of mindful art.”

How to Come Along

The opening night is free. If you would like to come, please register via Eventbrite so we know to expect you. Any donations on Eventbrite, or on the night, go directly towards supporting more people in Plymouth through our ongoing programme.

Leadworks, 170 Rendle Street, Stonehouse, PL1 1TP. Doors open 7 pm, performances from 7.30pm.

We cannot wait to see you there.

Peggy and Emma

You can also be a part of this project by coming along to our women’s group on Fridays at 1.00pm at Greenspace, 30 Mutley Plain.

April 20, 2026April 15, 2026

Mindful Paint and Sip Tickets Now on Sale

A Mindful Paint and Sip evening is coming to Olive & Twist, 9 Old Town Street, Plymouth, and this isn’t your average paint night.

Alongside the painting and sipping there’ll be a check-in and a moment of mindfulness – the extra elements that give Mindful Art Club its unusually warm, supportive atmosphere. Think less artistry, more community. For our first session, we’ll be painting Smeaton’s Tower – an iconic symbol of our seaside home. Visit Eventbrite now for a limited number of reduced price tickets.

What We’re Painting

For our first session, we’ll be painting Smeaton’s Tower – the much-loved landmark on Plymouth Hoe, and a symbol of the city that many of us call home. It feels like the perfect subject for a first gathering: something local, recognisable, and a little bit iconic.

Spaces are Limited

If this sounds like your kind of evening, reserve your place today.

The reduced price Founding Member ticket sales end on April 22nd 2026.

Get Tickets

We also have a WhatsApp group for our Paint and Sip – it’s not a busy group giving notifications all the time, just a way for us to let you know when the next painting evening is happening. Join us here: Mindful Art Evenings

November 3, 2025November 3, 2025

The Surprising Benefits of Neurographic Art

We recently had the pleasure of running a special Mindful Art Club session with Gifted Women, a charity that supports women with multiple disadvantage to access employment opportunities.

The wonderful afternoon was filled with creativity, community and calm using a Mindful Art Club favourite, neurographic art – a gentle drawing technique that encourages relaxation through the process rather than the focus of a final product.

What is neurographic art?

Neurographic art is a therapeutic practice developed by psychologist Pavel Piskarev, as a way to help people process emotions and reduce stress through creative expression!

The idea is simple, instead of trying to draw something ‘perfectly’ (whatever that means anyway!) you draw free-flowing lines, shapes, and patterns that represent your thoughts and feelings. As you add curves, colours, and connecting lines, the picture begins to evolve often in ways you didn’t expect!

Neurographic art is about letting your mind relax while your hand moves freely, simply enjoying the process of creating. The process is recognised for being calming and meditative, helping to quiet those busy thoughts and bring a sense of peace and focus. It’s clear to see why we love neurographic art so much at Mindful Art Club!

Mindfulness and empowerment

Collaborations like this with Gifted Women show how mindfulness and creativity can support mental health, confidence, and emotional wellbeing, especially for women rebuilding their lives and careers. Peggy and Emma were inspired by the openness and creativity in the room, as everyone approached the exercise differently. It was so wonderful to see how mindful art allows for both individuality and connection.

We’re so grateful to have shared this time together and we look forward to more creative partnerships that help people find calm, confidence, and connection through art. Click here to find out more about Gifted Women’s work.

Be sure to like and subscribe to our new YouTube channel and have a look at some of the wonderful art created in this session! Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and get ready to enjoy our fun tips and tools for managing anxiety with mindful art.

September 22, 2025September 20, 2025

How to Find Mindful Art Club at the Unitarian Church Hall in Plymouth

Looking for women’s art classes in Plymouth that also offer friendly company and mental health support? Mindful Art Club could be just what you need. Co-founder Peggy shows in her short video just how close the group’s venue is to the city centre — so if you’re wondering how to find Burgess Hall, here’s your step-by-step guide.

Women’s Mindful Art at Unitarian Church Hall – just three dates left!

From the City Centre to Burgess Hall

Start at St. Andrew’s Cross, right at the top of Royal Parade. From there, head down St. Andrew’s Street, next to St. Andrew’s Church. Keep walking along St. Andrew Street towards the Magistrates’ Court.

Once you reach the court, turn right, and you’ll soon see the Unitarian Church Hall (known as Burgess Hall) just around the back of the church. There’s even a handy shortcut through the nearby Baptist Church car park. In her video, Peggy makes it clear: it’s only a few minutes’ walk from Plymouth City Centre. You can also walk there from The Treasury Cafe-Bar on Royal parade, down Catherine’s Street.

Why Visit Mindful Art Club?

Mindful Art Club isn’t just an art group in Plymouth. It’s also a welcoming space for people looking for free mental health support in Plymouth. Each session combines creativity with mindfulness, offering a simple way to relax, connect with others, and boost your wellbeing.

In the video, Peggy gives us a glimpse of the friendly atmosphere as she arrives at Burgess Hall, sharing a laugh with Emma, who doesn’t really like to be on camera. It’s a reminder that the sessions are about community and fun, as much as they are about art.

Join Us

So, if you’re searching for art classes in Plymouth city centre, or a relaxed and creative form of free mental health support in Plymouth, why not come along? With this short video, finding Burgess Hall couldn’t be easier.

Like and Subscribe!

Our YouTube channel is new – this is only our second short video! Be sure to like and subscribe to our channel so you never miss an episode, and get ready to enjoy our fun tips and tools for managing anxiety with mindful art.

May 6, 2025May 6, 2025

HollysPomBoms

Messages of hope and acceptance, reminders to reach out and talk, and acts of kindness

After Holly took her own life in July 2018, her sister Anna wanted to do something to commemorate her birthday that felt joyful and fun. The sense of despair and sadness across Holly’s community was suffocating and we needed something positive to focus on and work towards. Holly was a very creative person, and often enjoyed crafting with her family, including making pompoms. So Anna came up with the idea of ‘pombombing’ public spaces in order to raise awareness of mental illness, and encouraged others to make pompoms and decorate somewhere for all to see. When it grew a little bigger than we thought it would, Holly’s friend Hettie got involved too, and now she can’t ever imagine not pombombing.

Friends, families and colleagues rallied together and rose to the occasion. By the end of Holly’s birthday month, hundreds of people all over the world had made pompoms, pombombed somewhere or shared a photo. The colourful balls of love were catching strangers attention, encouraging them to reach out to ask for or offer help, starting conversations, sharing messages of hope and acceptance and most importantly of all, talking about Holly.

Why are we pombombing?

We hope that the pompoms can bring an awareness of the fragility of life, be a conversation starter and a reminder that help can be sought and given. Prompting people to share their love, pain, grief and stories is a step towards breaking the stigma of mental illness, keeping memories alive and letting others know we care. Opening up to others can be an incredibly hard thing to do but there are always people who want to help and want to listen, whether it be a friend, family member or helpline.

Mindful Art Club are pombombing for Mental Health Awareness Week 2025

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-week

Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 will take place from May 12 to May 18, focusing on the theme of community and the importance of supportive connections for mental health. This week aims to highlight how being part of a positive community can enhance well-being and provide a sense of belonging.

August 25, 2024

Plymouth Art Club’s Courageous Stories of Mental Health Recovery

What difficulties or challenges do our clients face?
What changes do we see in the participants’ journeys?
What kind of art projects do we make?
Do you need to be good at art to come to this club?

All these questions and more are answered in a new documentary. We Tell Your Story is a documentary series funded by the Plymouth Octopus Project, culminating in a major feature that premiered at Plymouth Arts Cinema on June 17, 2024. Directed by Drew Graves, this 36-minute film is a The Hundred Hands production, dedicated to highlighting Plymouth’s vibrant community stories.

The video production spanned two years and involved numerous local creators, from filmmakers to animators. Over 70 individuals were interviewed, capturing a diverse array of stories from across Plymouth. This initiative aims to elevate the profiles of various organisations through high-quality video formats, enabling them to reach new audiences.

The segment about Mindful Art Club CIC is about eight minutes long.

Watch now to find out:

Why is the peer support element of the group so important?
Why did Si Parnham (formerly of Colebrook SW) say it’s such an “inspiring” atmosphere?
How one woman found art club “accidentally” through The Sunflower Women’s Centre
And meet the gypsy artist made homeless when a rehab closed, and yet found a way to express his “demons”.

Watch now and let us know what you think in the comments.

December 14, 2022December 14, 2022

Art Makes a Big Difference in Plymouth

We regularly collect feedback from our art club participants to check that we are making a difference in our community. We are also working with a research team at Plymouth University to measure the difference we make.

“Mindful art group is a safe place to come. You can offload and are not judged, you can enter feeling down and alone, and leave knowing you have the groups support and empathy” – Karen.

“On my first visit to the group, I felt it was very welcoming. I found the groups activities interesting and will be coming regularly to your meetings. I have a big problem with large groups of people. I would normally say nothing as I would feel stupid. But not in this case. Thanks.” – Carole.

“It’s great that we meet regularly and check in with how we are all feeling. I feel like we are all responsible for each other – a space where we can talk, release, cry, laugh and our emotions are held by each other. I feel like ‘It’s OK, these people are here for me’. Whether you are a sociable person with lots of friends or alone in the world, there’s a group of people every week ready to listen and support me. It’s a great balance of mindfulness and creativity, for everyone, no matter what your experience is – we’re not artists by any means – just people coming together to be creative and peaceful.” – Erica.

If you’d like to boost mental health in your treatment service, support service, workplace or residential home we offer groups on line, one-off sample sessions, and a six week wellbeing programme. We also offer an outdoor mindful art retreat as a staff away day.

While watching the FIFA World Cup recently you may have realised how stressful it is to be a football referee. That’s why we were happy to provide an online session for a group of premiership referees.

Peggy and Emma at Mindful Art were really pleasant and made everyone on the mindfulness session feel comfortable. They delivered a session that was really easy to take part and was enjoyable for all. I believe Mindfulness Art has a positive impact in promoting good Mental Health.
Dr Liam Slack, Chartered Sport Psychologist, PGMOL

Find out more about booking a session.