Art is not an escape from life. It's an introduction to it. John Cage

polkadots on raindrops participants range from aged 8 to 80. Young people still at school or discovering what to do after school or professionals learning new creative skills have all benefitted from working with us. Groups and individuals come from schools, universities, teacher training institutions, corporate bodies, local councils or the film and TV industries.

Participants needs may include learning new creative skills, developing personal confidence, technical film and IT skills or simply sampling the experience of working with digital media.

The nature of the exercises meant that everyone could participate, regardless of whether they were an experienced writer or not. Emma Hewett, Student

Our practitioners are all working professionals in film, TV and the arts. The belief they all share is that they learn as much from students as students learn from them.

Steve McCarthy - Professional Cameraman/Director/Producer & youth worker.

Rani Khanna - Film practice teacher and documentary film maker for over 10 years.

Olivia Hetreed - Writing credits include Girl with a Pearl Earring and Wuthering Heights.

Vaughan Pilikian - Playwright, poet, and award winning film maker.

Rachel Tillotson - Bafta winning director and teacher at Falmouth University.

Mark Aitken - Teacher for over 20 years and award winning documentary maker.

Our working partners and funders include the BFI, First Light, Film Club, The Paul Hamlyn Foundation, The Hayward Gallery, Creative Partnerships, The National Lottery, London Community Fund, Performing Arts Labs, Leaside Regeneration, Blackfriars Settlement, Tate Britain, East London Business Alliance, Resonance fm, The Arvon Foundation, The French Institute and the many schools and students who have participated in our projects.

 An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail. Isaac Newton