Purple Patch Arts is a registered charity which exists to provide inclusive, creative learning opportunities that improve the lives of learning-disabled and autistic people by expanding their understanding of, and engagement with, the world.
We run 12 Lifelong Learning Programmes in community venues across Yorkshire. Engaging over 125 adults for a day a week during term time (38 weeks a year), we work to a custom written Scheme of Work to ensure that the structure and content of the activity is of the highest possible standard and tailored to the specific needs of our learners, who have a wide variety of learning and physical disabilities. We work to a different theme each year, chosen by participants, and cover a broad range of topics that engage and challenge. Alongside these programmes our targeted projects are run in partnership with care homes, day services, schools, colleges and other community groups. We also work with academic researchers offering creative, arts-based approaches to data gathering including workshops, innovative research methods and the development of accessible tools. At all times we use ‘The Purple Patch Approach’ which employs multi-sensory, creative methods such as drama, dance, music and art, to engage learners, increase take-up of information and support understanding of complex subjects.
