Welcome to
Art-Alive Arts Trust
Art-Alive Arts Trust was formed in 1997 and registered as a charity in 2001, with the aim of helping children, adolescents and young vulnerable adults find an opportunity or platform to realise their potential and find their place in society through Arts and Creativity. AAAT employs the therapeutic and educational benefits of art tuition and works primarily with three groups: Primary school children with behavioural, and or, learning difficulties, Young vulnerable adults and -unemployed, homeless, at risk of being homeless or even risk of offending, giving them purposeful activities to do. Our primary goal is to work with these individuals to provide them with a lifeskill to help them secure work placements and ultimately to be employed or back to full time education. What has kept us delivering excellent services has been the support of The National Lottery Community Fund over the years and the likes of Shaftesbury Plc, Crown Estate, and Westminster City Council.
OUT REACH WORK
The Trust's Outreach Work brings us into contact with Her Majesty's Prison Service, schools, colleges, universities, care, youth hostels, throughout Greater London and beyond. We previously had a fully functioning art studio on Greek Street, in Soho, central London where painting, textile, fashion, filming, photography workshops were held. Now we have relocated to Regent Street, based in the heart of the city. Since we moved the head office to Regent Street, our project has taken a new turn. The Soho Arts Fair and The Big Soho Clean Up in 2014, in 2019, we were giving a whole space on Carnaby Street, for 3 months, where we involved over 50 young creatives to show their works and products. Mr. Olagoke has now taking the vision to a bigger and greater height.
"£5 A MONTH"
Make a Difference for Just £5 a Month!
Support Art Alive Arts Trust in bringing art, creativity, and hope to underprivileged communities.
Your small monthly donation helps provide art workshops, materials, and opportunities for young creatives to thrive.
£5 = A world of possibilities!
Join us in shaping brighter futures through art.
Donate today!
Once-off donations are acceptable too
About Us
Art-Alive Arts Trust is a pioneering non-profit organization dedicated to nurturing the inherent creativity and potential of children, adolescents, and young vulnerable adults. Founded on the belief that art is a transformative force, our mission is to provide a platform where individuals from diverse backgrounds can discover their unique talents and thrive through artistic expression.
Who We Are:
At Art-Alive Arts Trust, we are champions of creativity, advocates for inclusivity, and facilitators of personal growth. Our programs and initiatives are meticulously crafted to foster an environment that encourages exploration, skill development, and social integration through the medium of arts and creativity.
What We Do:
1. Empowerment Through Expression
2. Inclusive Arts Education
3. Community Engagement
4. Advocacy for Change
Why We Do It:
Art-Alive Arts Trust believes that every individual possesses untapped potential waiting to be realized. By harnessing the power of arts and creativity, we aim to empower young minds, instill resilience, and pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive future.
Join us on this journey of exploration, expression, and empowerment through the transformative magic of arts.
"Empowering Futures, Painting Paths: Where Creativity Unlocks Potential"
The Team
The Art Alive Team is made up of mostly volunteers. These are individuals passionate about empowering youths and who sacrifice their time to work on and participate in the development of our projects:
Lanre Olagoke
Founder/ Director
Simone Olagoke
Trustee
Deiana Grant
Trustee
Janet Anderson
Trustee / Teacher
Emeka Okezie
Trustee/Volunteer/ Designer
Chioma Akamelu
Trustee/Volunteer/Artist
Fatou Rose
Volunteer/Artist/Stylist
Jessica Meade
Support /Poet
Adeola Muir
Psycho-Therapist
Femi Odufunade
Co-production manager/Filmaker
Isioma Ejimadu
Private Banker / Volunteer
Agatha Nandume
Architectural Engineer/ Volunteer
ANNUAL REPORT 24/25
A Message from the Trustees and Lanre Olagoke, Artistic Director & Founder, Art Alive Arts Trust
The year 2024/25 has been particularly challenging for Art Alive. For the past six to seven years, our dedicated studio-workshop space in W1 has been invaluable. Despite the current difficulties, we have managed to stay afloat. Having served Westminster City Council for over 12 years, we have built valuable relationships with local councillors, council officers, and organizations such as Centrepoint, London Probation, and the Metropolitan Police. These collaborations provide optimism and confidence in our future.
We are especially grateful to Crown Estate for their generous support over the past six years, allowing us to operate from one of their premises. Despite setbacks in fundraising efforts in 2023, we remain hopeful that 2024 will bring significant funding for various projects. To diversify revenue streams, we have pursued commissions for public and corporate art, exhibitions, and artwork sales. While these efforts have proven challenging, we have received vital support from Shaftesbury Plc, which has provided pop-up exhibition spaces over the past decade.
Currently, we operate workshops at Linen Hall and have our main office at 162-168 Regent Street. Through strong ties with local leaders and businesses, we aim to secure commissions for our beneficiaries, providing them with opportunities to showcase their talent.
Despite our challenges, 2023 ended on a positive note when Cayetana Hope Chest granted us an unrestricted fund of £30,000. We have decided to focus on core issues faced by unemployed beneficiaries. I recently met with the CEO of Centrepoint to discuss collaborations on the "Engagement in Art Community Project," which aims to strengthen connections between their services, the community, and the voluntary sector.
Our Goal
Founded in 1997 and registered as a charity in 2001, Art Alive Arts Trust provides children, adolescents, and vulnerable young adults with opportunities to realize their potential through the arts.
We focus on three primary groups:
1. Primary school children with behavioral or learning difficulties.
2. Young adults who are unemployed, homeless, at risk of homelessness, or at risk of offending.
3. School children on the margins of education, facing potential exclusion.
We engage individuals in purposeful activities that equip them with essential life skills to secure employment or return to education. Our work is supported by The National Lottery Community Fund, Shaftesbury Plc, Crown Estate, and Westminster City Council.
Art Alive believes that art fosters balance, self-esteem, and responsible citizenship.
Art Alive in 2024/25
Our focus has been on rebuilding trust, fundraising, and increasing our profile. Due to funding constraints, we worked with only 20 beneficiaries in 2023/24 but successfully found paid employment for five of them. These individuals participated in projects and volunteered their time, resulting in commissioned work and job placements.
Our Approach
Art Alive beneficiaries gain a sense of identity and purpose through our programs. Some return to mentor new participants. We have shifted towards outcome-driven goals, emphasizing employment, education, and training for youth. Funders and commissioning organisation's increasingly seek measurable results, and we are committed to delivering impactful outcomes.
Our Arts-Based Courses Include:
1. Painting with oils, acrylics, and mixed media
2. Fashion design
3. Art installations
4. Filmmaking and drama
5. Mosaic design and ceramics
6. Collaborative group painting on large canvases
We also provide basic skills training, self-employment support, and job brokerage services in partnership with JobCentrePlus.
Arts in Prisons
Our Art in Prison Program is currently on hold due to funding constraints, but we are committed to relaunching it. We previously provided art tuition in prison education departments, with qualified tutors serving as outreach workers. Upon release, beneficiaries were met at the prison gates by Art Alive representatives to facilitate their transition.
Although our outreach has declined due to funding challenges, we remain hopeful about reintroducing the program in the future.
Outreach Art Tuition
Art Alive has a strong outreach program, collaborating with institutions such as HMPS, Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, care homes, and approved premises across Greater London. Our fully operational studio offers workshops in painting, fashion, and photography. We aim to expand our outreach to include art tuition in local hostels for young people at risk.
Fundraising and Marketing: Art Alive Annual Report 2024/2025
Since mid-2023, our fundraiser has been working diligently to secure resources, though success has been limited. Fortunately, the Cayetana Hope Chest unrestricted funding will sustain us through summer 2024. We remain determined to secure additional funding from the Arts Council and private donors.
Our priority is to hire a full-time fundraiser/administrator to assist with administrative tasks and alleviate financial constraints.
Raising Art Alive’s Profile
Networking has been crucial during these challenging times. Our Artistic Coordinator, Lanre Olagoke, continues to build relationships with local councillors, partner organizations, and businesses. We aim to demonstrate how art connects vulnerable communities and youth at risk. Despite the funding challenges, we remain hopeful for increased collaboration with Centrepoint.
Current Projects
Since 2019, government funding cuts have severely impacted our operations. However, support from Cayetana Hope Chest has been invaluable. We continue to receive referrals from the Young Offenders Institute and assist vulnerable young adults in the community.
Our "Part 2 Play" project provides a quarterly gathering for past and present beneficiaries to share experiences and challenges. Although this initiative has been difficult to sustain, we are committed to its continuation.
Partnership Working
We are strengthening partnerships with organizations such as:
1. Crown Estate
London Borough of Westminster
2. Centrepoint
3. What Water
4. Youth Offending Team
5. Metropolitan Police
6. British Museum/National Gallery
7. South London and Maudsley NHS Trust
These collaborations help immerse beneficiaries in the creative arts and provide pathways to reintegration into society, employment, and education.
Volunteers
Art Alive remains committed to volunteer engagement. We plan to host a week-long exhibition in 2025 to showcase our work. Our volunteers have been instrumental in our growth, and their contributions are deeply valued.
Future Projects
"Water 4 Youth"
For Black History Month 2025, we plan to collaborate with What Water on a major campaign and fundraising event at the British Museum. This project will focus on youth empowerment and sustainable development, featuring artists from Commonwealth countries.
1. Engagement with Approved Premises
We are negotiating with several Approved Premises in London to continue offering sustainable activities for our beneficiaries. Funding remains a challenge, but we are optimistic about securing resources to support our work with vulnerable youth.
2. Public Art Commissioning
Art Alive aims to establish itself as a public art provider across London boroughs. We are actively seeking opportunities to expand our reach through public art initiatives. 3. Sale of Artwork by Beneficiaries
As a voluntary organization, Art Alive produces tangible artwork that provides a revenue opportunity. Selling artwork through our website and online catalog has generated additional funds. We are committed to further developing this initiative in 2025 and plan to host more exhibitions to promote the talents our beneficiaries have honed through their work with Art Alive.
Art Alive Arts Trust Annual Accounts 2024/25
Attached is the projected core funding from last year, which has been crucial in sustaining various charity needs. The operational expenses of our center are essential, especially following the success of our two Pop-Up galleries, which are vital for showcasing artwork and raising funds for our future film projects.
BUDGET: Income and Expenditure 2024/2025
BUDGET BREAKDOWN
INCOME: £33,225 (unrestricted fund)
EXPENDITURE: £33,242
1. Administration and Salaries:
- Project Manager (5 months): £500/month = £2,500
- Assistant Project Manager (5 months): £350/month = £1,750
- Part-Time Administrator (6 months): £250/month = £1,500
2. Session Workers:
- Session Art Workers (5 workers): £100/session (3 hours) x 5 sessions/month x 5 months = £2,500
3. Workshop Costs:
- Materials for Workshops: £250/session x 25 sessions = £6,250
- Studio/Gallery Hire: £1,500/month x 5 months = £7,500
4. Volunteer Support:
- Travel Expenses and Lunch for Volunteers (10 volunteers): £250/month x 10 = £2,500
5. Counseling Services:
- Counsellor Fees (4 sessions/month x 5 months): £1,000/month x 5 = £5,000
6. Media Management:
- Website and Social Media Management: £1,000
- Film Editing and Photography: £1,500
7. Miscellaneous Expenses:
- Miscellaneous Costs (including bills, etc.): £1,500
This breakdown details the anticipated costs for administration, salaries, workshops, and additional support, ensuring a thorough approach to our project's financial planning. We successfully hosted two exhibitions this year, effectively reducing costs while continuing to advance our film vision. Our largest expenses remain studio hire and materials.
For more information, please check our fundraising links:
- [Kickstarter Campaign](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/xvistudios/cut-short-and-ski-man-xvi-studios) (Unfortunately, our estimated budget was not met, so we were unable to proceed further. We are now seeking additional investors to support our film project, and we are optimistic about securing this support in due time.)
- [Instagram Reel](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8nE5Gfo81Q/?igsh=aGVxeWkxc-GVwaWli)
Special Thanks
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Cayetana Hope Chest and our sole supporter, Venetia Findlay, for their generosity, which has been pivotal to our accomplishments and has provided a solid framework for fund allocation. Our primary focus remains on the Art-Alive film projects, "Ski-Man" and "Cut Short." Their support has been instrumental in securing studio time and space, which are essential for realizing our young people's vision. This true story, based on Sels' life and his family's battle with cancer, resonates deeply with us, particularly as one of our trustees has been diagnosed with lung cancer. We cannot thank our volunteers enough for their unwavering support of Art-Alive. Their commitment has been invaluable. Lastly, we are immensely grateful to the tutors who have dedicated their time and effort to ensure the success of our beneficiaries. Their compassion has created an environment where beneficiaries feel comfortable and hopeful for a brighter future.
Art-Alive Arts Trust Registered Charity No. 1088773
Status Art-Alive Arts Trust ('Art-Alive') was established by a Deed of Trust dated 28 August 2001 and was registered as a charity on 5 October 2001.
Trustees
- Deiana Grant (Chair)
- Simone Olagoke
- Janet Anderson
- Lanre Olagoke MBE (Artistic Director / Founder)
Steering Group/Tutors
- Emeka Okezie
- Dickson Akpabaro
- Fatou Rose
Digital Marketing and AATAfrica Operations Manager
- Chioma Akamelu
Registered Office and Operational Address Suite 319, Linen Hall 162-168 Regent Street London W1B 5TD
Telephone: 07951 519282
Email: info@artalive.org.uk
Conclusion
Art Alive remains dedicated to supporting vulnerable youth through the arts, despite financial and logistical challenges. We are hopeful that 2024/25 will bring new opportunities for growth, collaboration, and sustainability. With the continued support of our partners, funders, and volunteers, we look forward to a brighter future.
Gallery
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