Myriad runs workshops which are playful, social and relaxed in Edinburgh and Cumbria.
We run workshops which give people the opportunity to learn a new skill, to meet new people and have fun.
Each workshop is different, in the past we have run workshops marbling, playing with clay, beeswax wrap making, making an art attack and a fire engine!
Monthly Creative Workshops: we run affordable monthly workshops are for adults of all abilities. You do not need any creative experience to attend any of the workshops and we make them as accessible as possible.
One off Workshops: run one off workshops for all ages and are often commissioned to create workshops for specific groups or projects.
Commissioned workshops: We at Myriad love creating workshops which are tied into events, causes, projects or are wonderfully extraordinary! We have been commissioned to create workshops for many other people and organisations.
We are a creative bunch and if you have an idea or something you want made, we can make it into a workshop! We love a challenge!
A bit more about us as an organisation…
Myriad’s Vision: Myriad’s vision is a society where everyone has confidence in their creativity, regularly enjoys creating wonderful things and engaging with the arts.
Myriad’s Mission: To run workshops that bring people together in a fun, relaxed and social environment to nurture their creative confidence and develop their skills.
We have met too many people who believe they are not creative, and that are put off participating in any arts project because of fear. We believe that everyone is creative, that they are capable of making amazing things and can get a lot of enjoyment from doing so.
We know that sometimes people just need to learn skills to express their creativity and need support and feedback to help them build their confidence, in a non-pressure environment.
This is what Myriad aims to provide.
Myriad’s Values:
- To ensure there are no barriers for everyone to engage with, and be part of the organisation.
- To be, and to promote being ethically and environmentally friendly.
- To run workshops which are extraordinary, immersive and “not just workshops”.
- To get to know, communicate with and respect our network and local community.
- To value participants’ positive experience over workshop outcome.
Myriad’s Aims
We aim to build creative confidence; we create a non-pressure environment for people to learn skills, get support, and nurture their confidence.
We aim to bring people together; these workshops bring strangers together and we encourage them to connect, to talk and to help one another. Those who regularly attend our workshops will be able to hopefully build these connections into friendships.
We are aware that some people may struggle with confidence to speak to people they do not know, so our staff are able to support and facilitate conversation, so no one feels left out.
We aim to teach people; new creative skills and hobbies as well as showing people what they are already capable of. We also offer the opportunity to mentor people and help them run their own workshops.
We aim to entertain people; the workshops are designed to be fun and playful, we want people to enjoy our workshops, we want to make sure they are glad they left their home and get even more people to do the same.
We aim to provide new opportunities; we love designing workshops that have never been done before, and we love partnering with other organisations to give people the chance to be part of something bigger. These big opportunities in the past have included the chance to build a big train for Multicultural Cumbria, painting along with Bob Ross and parading in home-made wizard costume along the streets of Penrith during the Winter Droving procession.
We aim to increase creativity; we want to encourage people to be more creative in their day to day life, many of the things people learn in our workshops can be done at home with little or no cost, we provide them with notes which they add to during the workshop so they remember the techniques. Everyone also goes home with a little creative homework assignment, with easy tasks to complete in their own time.
We aim to make people happier; this should go without saying, but for us, it is our biggest aim, there is a lot of evidence that creative activities can increase people’s health and wellbeing, so we believe that the giving people the opportunity to be creative, as well as helping them build their creative and social confidence, giving them the chance to meet new people, to learn skills, and experience new things will improve their lives, and make them happier!
“There is something incomparable about the moment when we are creating, totally and completely immersed, unaware of the outer world. Whatever we may be doing—playing, painting, writing, building in the sand, experimenting—if we’re lucky, at some point, something seems to take over and all seems to congeal; everything comes together in a flowing, joyful awareness of pure being” (Humphris, M, 2019).
For updates and information on upcoming sessions join our mailing list or follow us on facebook.
1. Humphris, M. (2019) ‘Sandplay and Art: Embodying the Creative Process’, Jung journal. Routledge, 13(3), pp. 143–155. doi: 10.1080/19342039.2019.1636362.