Simon Community
“Drawn Together” Project
The Simon Community provide information, advice, care, support, accommodation, and homes to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The Drawn Together project combined a series of art therapy sessions led by Art Psychotherapist Silvia Cirronic with a series of peer led creative community sessions.
The work created during the peer led project was shown over two days at an exhibition at the Street Reads library in Edinburgh as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) 2025.
Project lead Lily Tait reflected “Initially (the participant’s) experiences were not considered nor named through the lenses of stigma and its multilevel effects. Naming them, and offering a space for individuals to understand and honouring their own path, has been humbling, powerful, and certainly an important step towards community connection.”
The impact of the project is also clear from the reflections of participants: “I don’t know if you remember me before. When we first met I was completely different. This group has been so important to me, I am a completely different person. I didn’t think I’d even be here today” (Peer Group project participant)
“It was really great to do the exhibition for people to see my artwork. It motivated me to continue with art college and with my paintings. It was a really good feeling to see people were engaged with my work.”
(Peer Group project participant).