Bristol After Stroke is a local charity that supports people rebuilding their lives after a stroke. It provides counselling, support for carers and Stroke Support groups offering a safe, nurturing space where stroke survivors can regain confidence and independence. 

In 2022, Bristol After Stroke approached us with a simple but powerful question: 

“Can art help with wellbeing?” 

This question led to a collaborative project exploring how creativity can aid recovery for stroke survivors. 

The project aligned closely with our mission: to foster lifelong journeys with art. We brought art beyond the gallery walls, directly into community spaces where people feel safe, supported, and ready to explore new experiences. 

The collaboration began with Brain Art, a project involving neuroscientists at the University of Bristol, exploring how creative expression can reflect and support brain recovery. Participants — all stroke survivors — engaged in hands-on art sessions led jointly by an artist and a neuroscientist. 

Many participants described the sessions as helping them express what they couldn’t put into words about how their brains and bodies had changed. 

Encouraged by this, RWA and Bristol After Stroke secured further funding to continue and expand the programme. 

Today, the workshops take place primarily in community venues and group meeting spaces familiar to the participants. RWA provides the materials and a professional artist, while Bristol After Stroke provides the connection to participants and their support framework. 

Each session includes time for conversation and tea — a vital part of building trust and community. Over several weeks, the same artist works with each group, allowing for deeper creative engagement and personal growth. 

One participant in the Bedminster support group had believed she would never again be able to use scissors due to loss of mobility in one arm following her stroke. 

During a collage workshop, she was introduced to specially adapted scissors mounted in a wooden block, which could be operated using her elbow. With minimal assistance from a fellow participant, she was able to cut and create her own artwork — directing the process herself. 

At the end of the session, during the group reflection, she shared that: 

“I haven’t been able to use scissors for three years!” 

These creative sessions help participants to 

• Reconnect with their sense of identity and independence
• Express themselves in new and empowering ways
• Build confidence and community connections
• Experience joy, curiosity, and play 

To find out more about the work we are doing to create opportunities for everybody to access lifelong journeys with art click here.