CHILD OF announces partnership with Saatchi Gallery Learning Programme to create charity project inspired by Beyond the Streets Exhibition

Through the power of art, Child Of and Saatchi Gallery Learning department will use real-life stories of addiction to inspire artworks illustrating the value of shared experience whilst being a solution to providing art opportunities and educational recourse for victims of addiction. Supported by Daler Rowney.

Child Of today announced an exhibition running 1st – 31st of March in partnership with the Saatchi Gallery Learning Department within the Gallery’s dedicated charity project room. The project will be on view during the Beyond the Streets exhibition running February 17th through May 9th 2023. The Child Of exhibition will be supported by Daler Rowney, the private jet brand, Victor and Oddbird, a non-alcohol wine. Child Of will use real-life stories of addiction to inspire artworks illustrating the value of shared experience. The exhibition’s focus will be a mural painted by professional artists and community groups; it will include portraits and quotes from those who know how addiction impacts the whole family. The project is presented as part of Saatchi Gallery’s charity mission to offer free workshops, tours and dedicated exhibitions to school and community groups.

At a time when the government has withdrawn all support by cancelling the entire strategy for the children of alcohol-dependent parents, which was established at the House of Commons in 2018, and alcohol use is at its highest levels since the pandemic, Child Of offers a new way to target and help those in need where it is needed most. Child Of is looking for sponsors and supporters to enable them to continue providing healing through art.

There are an estimated 589,000 people who are dependent on alcohol in England and about a quarter of them are likely to be receiving mental health medication; mostly for anxiety and depression, but also for sleep problems, psychosis and bipolar disorder. https:// ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2020/11/17/alcohol-dependence-and-mental-health/ 1 in 5 children is currently living with a parent who drinks too much; that’s 2.5 million children in the UK. The UK government is moving ahead with plans to cut funding for art and design courses by 50% across higher education institutions in England. The Office for Students (Ofs)—the independent regulator of higher education—confirmed that the subsidy for each full-time student on an arts course will be cut from £243 to £121.50 next academic year (2021/22). The move will save around £20m, says the education secretary Gavin Williamson.

Child Of provides;

• Workshops at schools and in the broader community, we have partnered with an alternative provision school in East London and work alongside the students one day a week
• Art activism – exhibitions around the country of art produced by Sam D’Cruze from conversations with those touched by addiction, either that of their own or someone with addiction that they are close to
• Sam D’Cruze, Founder, Designer, and Artist: “This project is about tapping into creative potential, provide an encouraging space to raise expectation and erase the stigma around addiction.”
• Florence Goodhand-Tait, Head of Saatchi Gallery Learning: “This project supports Saatchi Gallery’s charitable mission to support community groups, raise awareness to important issues and render contemporary art and culture accessible to all.”

ENDS

For more information, please contact NOVA RELATIONS – anna@novarelations.com

Notes to Editors Links:
CHILD OF
Saatchi Gallery Learning

The Exhibition
Date: March 1st – 31st 2023

Open to ticket holders of Beyond the Streets only, available to purchase here; saatchigallery.com/tickets

Location:
Saatchi Gallery Project Room, 3rd Floor
Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, London SW3 4RY

About Child Of

‘CHILD OF’ is a visual arts platform exploring addiction and recovery in a creative & contemporary way and believing in the non-judgemental, frank and realistic discussion, exploring all sides of the drug and alcohol story. Supporting London East Alternative Provision, Centrepoint and Druglink, they provide weekly art classes and workshops and proudly partnered with Saatchi Education & Learning Department, Daler Rowney and supported by Victor. They facilitate dynamic and creative workshops in the workplace, exploring the benefits of creativity in business and encouraging self-expression. Using real-life stories to inspire artworks illustrates the value of shared experience through the power of art and storytelling. The artworks are sold to help fund community projects such as delivering workshops in rehabilitation centres and working with Alternative Provision schools and young people from low socio-economic backgrounds. A percentage of profits will be donated to The National Association of Children of Alcoholics.

About Saatchi Gallery

Since 1985, Saatchi Gallery has provided an innovative platform for contemporary art. Exhibitions have presented works by largely unseen young artists, or by international artists whose work has been rarely or never exhibited in the UK. This approach has made the Gallery one of the most recognised names in contemporary art. Since moving to its current 70,000 square feet space in the Duke of York’s Headquarters in Chelsea, London, the Gallery has welcomed over 10 million visitors. The Gallery hosts thousands of school visits annually and has over 6 million followers on social media. In 2019 Saatchi Gallery became a charity, beginning a new chapter in its history. www.saatchigallery.com/

Registered Charity Number: 1182328 Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4RY