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.

London, February 2023:

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At a time when the government has withdrawn all support by cancelling the entire strategy for the children of alcohol-dependent parents, which was established at the House of Commons in 2018, and alcohol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. https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2021/07/22/uk-government-approves-50percent-funding-cut-for-arts-and-design-courses

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.”