Free whole family art sessions
Art Wise is a parent and child therapeutic art programme supporting families to thrive and stay connected.
This programme runs in locations across Central Scotland and aims to help families meet their individual needs, build stronger bonds, and have fun through creative play.
In this programme, you’ll get support to better understand your child’s behaviour and develop tools to connect and communicate with them.
We’ll also help you support your child to identify their own needs and develop coping strategies using art and creativity.
Working with a qualified Art Therapist and Wellbeing Support Worker, you will have a mix of parents/carer sessions and whole family creative play sessions.
Art Wise is free to attend, snacks are provided, and we reimburse your travel costs.
Helping families thrive
In this programme, you will have the opportunity to connect with other parents in your local community, access peer support, and find local support networks to help with other aspects of family life including benefits, welfare, food security, relationship support, nutrition, and more.
To be eligible to join Art Wise, you must be one of the following: parent under 25 years old; ethnic minority parent; lone parent; parent with 3+ children; parent with a disability; parent struggling with mental health; or parent affected by substance misuse.
“I always feel less anxious and relaxed after coming to Art Wise. I love seeing my daughter free to explore the messy play and her interactions with others.”
Locations
Falkirk
Infant Group
Who: Parents/carers and children aged 0-3
Dates & times: Fridays at 10:15am-11:45am, June 5th – August 21st 2026
Location: The Braes Children and Families Centre, 68-70 Forgie Crescent, Maddiston, FK2 0LZ
Travel expenses provided
North Lanarkshire
Art Wise in North Lanarkshire operates as part of the Families Here and Now Service (FHANS). For more info, please email jamielee.aitken@impactarts.co.uk or call on 07919 501 479.
“A safe space to talk about personal and parenting challenges and receive emotional support.”
We Work With Some Incredible Partners
Schools’ Artist in Residence
Our Artist in Residence programme brings the most exciting visual artists to Primary School children living in disadvantaged communities, who are unlikely to have opportunities for creative expression; are least likely to have ready access to arts materials in their own home; and are least likely to visit galleries. Work, co-produced with children, gives them an opportunity to be heard & seen and is curated through high quality exhibitions that celebrate achievements.
If your Primary School is interested in getting involved then please get in touch.
Art Therapy
Art Therapy is a form of psychotherapy which offers a safe and therapeutic space for children to express themselves through creativity and play.
It is often easier for children to address difficult emotions through art and making rather than talking about them directly. Our qualified Art Therapists offer expert support to help children better understand and process their emotions and experiences.
This type of therapy offers: alternative ways of expressing difficult thoughts and feelings; relief from stress and anxiety; the development of confidence and communication skills; and it nurtures self-awareness and coping skills.
At Impact Arts, we have worked with many children to explore issues including but not limited to: trauma, bullying, challenging relationships, bereavement, abuse, parental incarceration, parental addiction, life transitions, anxiety, and neurodiversity.
Our team of skilled and qualified Art Therapists offer individual and group Art Therapy in locations across Central Scotland.
1:1 Art Therapy
Types of Art Therapy
Over a number of sessions, one of our Art Therapists works with the child in a safe and confidential setting to help them explore their emotions and any challenges they may be experiencing at home, in school, or with friends.
We support the child to find ways to express and communicate these feelings. It might be through engagement with sensory materials, making puppets that tell a story, or using drawings to articulate how they feel.
Family Approach
Types of Art Therapy
This approach to Art Therapy involves a child and their parent or caregiver in joint sessions, with a focus on strengthening their relationship through mutual understanding and the development of positive coping skills.
The Family Approach allows parents to better understand their own and their child’s social and emotional needs, building connection and communication through engagement in art making.
Therapeutic Group Work
Types of Art Therapy
Small groups of children experiencing similar issues are supported by an Art Therapist to build confidence, overcome social difficulties, and learn regulating strategies through a series of expressive art making sessions.
Peer relationships are nurtured in a fun, supportive, and non-stigmatising therapeutic environment.
How to source Art Therapy funding
For primary school pupils in Glasgow
We are Glasgow City Council’s dedicated primary school Art Therapy provider. Every primary school in Glasgow can access our service for their pupils through their Counselling in Educational Establishments funding. Glasgow schools can also access funding via Pupil Equity Funding and Care Experienced (CE) Funding.
If you’re a teacher or staff member in a Glasgow primary school that does not currently offer Art Therapy, get in touch today: arttherapy@impactarts.co.uk
How to source Art Therapy funding
For pupils in primary schools outside of Glasgow
Scottish schools outside of the Greater Glasgow area can access funding for Art Therapy through various frameworks. A framework is a pot of funding allocated to schools.
If you’re a teacher, take a look at the Framework Funds (linked below) to see which funding pots your school can access. Once you have identified a framework you can use, complete our Commissions Form (linked below) and we can provide you with a quote based on your needs.
How to source Art Therapy funding
For children in North Ayrshire
Impact Arts receives funding from the Corra Foundation and North Ayrshire Council’s Alcohol and Drug Partnership to deliver this service in the dedicated Art Therapy rooms at our Irvine location and within schools in the area. This funding allows us to provide free 1:1 Art Therapy, Family Work, and Therapeutic Group Work for children and families.
Whether you’re a teacher, social worker, parent, caregiver, or partner organisation in North Ayrshire, you can make a referral for a child you support.
How to source Art Therapy funding
For children and young people in other areas in Scotland
If the child or young person you support lives outside of Glasgow, outside of North Ayrshire, and their school doesn’t offer Art Therapy and/or they no longer attend school, there may still be other routes to funding. For example, these may include Self Directed Support (SDS) or Care Experienced Funding routes.
Please contact your local authority directly to discuss different funding options available in your area.
How to source funding for Art Therapy
Councils: Funding mainstream Art Therapy for children
Do you work in local government? Are you receiving a high volume of Art Therapy funding requests from teachers, parents, and social workers? Work with us! You can commission Impact Arts to provide mainstream Art Therapy in schools across your local authority area.
Meet our Art Therapists
Danielle Devin
Lead Art Therapist & Clinical Supervisor
Emilija Mecelicaite
Art Therapist
Creative play
*Not currently open for referrals*
Creative Play engages primary school aged children in creative outdoor pursuits which instil a love of playing outside.
Our fully trained and qualified creative practitioners provide children with a range of complimentary creative opportunities, while encouraging children to interact with natural materials and their surroundings – designed to spark the imaginations of children, allowing them to explore new ideas and activities which are fun and designed to increase physical activity and engagement with the environment.
From creating abstract sculptures out of organic materials found in the park to building “birds’ nests” or dens, or doing forest treasure hunts, storytelling and painting with mud, Creative Play will ignite children’s imagination and encourage a deeper and more creative contact with the outdoors.
Ages 3 – 12
Creative Play Booklets
View our booklet for 30 fun and creative ways to play outdoors!
Get Children & Young People involved in our Nature Trail Challenge!
