Belonging by Pioneer Projects

What does it mean to belong?

For each of us, belonging takes a different shape; a feeling, a memory, a moment of connection. It might be found in the places we call home, in the people who make us feel seen, or in the small acts of creativity that remind us who we are.

This exhibition brings together work created by participants from across Pioneer Project’s Creative Health programmes and community; people living with long-term mental ill health, disabilities, memory loss, or simply seeking new ways to connect. Through painting, textiles, collage, sculpture, music, performance and mixed media, they have explored identity, pride, reflection, and connection. At its heart, Belonging celebrates creativity as a bridge – between people and places, between past and present, between self and community. Each artwork holds a story: of courage, of expression, of nothing or something, of finding joy and meaning through making.

This exhibition is both a celebration and an invitation to pause, to look closely, and to feel part of something larger. Because when we create, we connect. And in connection, we belong.