Jo Jones is an art therapist within Rock Trust’s Health & Wellbeing Team. Here she writes about the importance of creating supportive spaces for young people to explore their creativity, seen through the lens of our Open Studios at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop. This partnership was made possible through funding from YouthLink Scotland’s Youth Open Arts Fund.

Art therapy forms part of our wider youth-specific services, supporting young people’s mental health, confidence and sense of belonging. Mental health challenges are often a contributing factor to youth homelessness. Creative, non-judgemental spaces help young people build emotional resilience, form connections and feel supported – all of which play a vital role in prevention.

A safe, low-pressure space to create

Between March and December 2025, Rock Trust worked in partnership with Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop to deliver a series of supported Open Studio sessions for children and young people.

Designed to remove barriers to creative participation, the project provided regular access to studio space, materials, food and skilled facilitation in a calm, welcoming environment. At its core, the programme created space for young people to slow down, create, and feel safe – supporting mental health, wellbeing and a sense of belonging.

Across eight Open Studio sessions, young people were invited into an open, flexible studio environment where there was no expectation to perform, produce or achieve. Sessions typically ran for three hours, with two extended sessions trialled to explore the benefits of longer, uninterrupted creative time.

Attendance ranged from five to ten young people per session, including both first-time participants and young people who had been engaging with the programme for over five years. This mix demonstrated the project’s ability to reach new participants while sustaining long-term engagement.

“I came a mess, left relaxed.” Young person.

Choice, autonomy and creative freedom

The Open Studio format was intentionally participant-led. Young people were free to move between activities, continue projects across sessions, observe quietly, or simply be present.

Activities included clay work, glazing (including Raku firing!), tile painting, altered bookmaking, collage, sewing, drawing, painting, marbling and embroidery. This breadth allowed young people to work at their own pace and follow their interests, supporting autonomy, confidence and agency.

One young person asked for sewing materials that weren’t set out that week so they could repair a jumpsuit they had brought with them. They completed the repair during the session and later returned wearing the patched garment – a small but powerful moment of pride, ownership and growing confidence in their creative skills.

Engagement across the project was consistently high. Young people often worked independently for extended periods, deeply focused, while also offering informal encouragement and support to one another.

Several participants returned across multiple sessions to develop ambitious ceramics projects, books, games and sculptural work over time. For many, the studio became a familiar and trusted space where creativity could unfold without pressure.

Trying something new: confidence through skill-building

All participants took part in Raku firing for the first time – a specialist ceramic process many had “wanted to try for ages” but had never previously had access to.

This opportunity to engage with a technical, unfamiliar process excited the young people and promoted creative curiosity. But it also reinforced the idea that young people are capable of more when given the right tools, time and support.

A key impact of the project was the creation of a calm, supportive environment that positively affected mental health and wellbeing.

Young people consistently described the Open Studios as a place of peace, refuge and emotional regulation – somewhere they could arrive feeling overwhelmed and leave feeling settled.

“This space helps me express my creativity, feeling peaceful and belonging.” Young person.

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Inclusive by design

The project was inclusive and responsive. Facilitators offered one-to-one support where needed, adapting activities for young people with sensory sensitivities. Translation tools were also used to support a non-English-speaking participant.

This flexibility ensured children and young people facing additional barriers could engage fully and safely, reinforcing the importance of creative spaces that meet young people where they are.

What we learned

The final session was planned as a celebratory end-of-year lunch and gallery visit. However, attendance was low and the visit did not go ahead, as it didn’t feel appropriate on the day.

This highlighted a key learning: the strongest draw for young people was the Open Studio format itself – particularly the opportunity to work hands-on with materials such as clay in a familiar, trusted environment. The value lay not in a “special event”, but in consistency, safety and creative freedom.