About RAW

Based in the West Midlands, Real Arts Workshops (RAW) - is led by graphic designer, artist and musician Alex Vann, and profoundly Deaf crafter and BSL tutor Gary O'Dowd.

​RAW has been providing high-quality, tailor-made Creative Arts Workshops often with integrated British Sign Language for all sorts of learners since the late 1990s.

This includes: Deaf groups, older people, excluded children, isolated people, LGBT+, travellers, ASD, ADHD, dementia, BAME, people at risk of suicide, mental health issues, community groups, online learners, schools, disabled groups and many more.

MAKE A BOOKING / ENQUIRY

IT ALL STARTED WITH A BOOK!

We all know the famous saying about children being more interested in the packaging of a present than the gift itself!

This was the inspiration for 'JOSEPH THE USEFUL CARDBOARD BOX' which was written by Alex Vann and published in 1998 with the help of an Arts Council grant and went on sale in Waterstones bookstores across the UK.
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The story has been digitised and is available as a story video and also a song video

Visit our 'Resources' page for 'Joseph' themed things to make and do!

Our early workshops...

This led onto Alex and his team visiting schools, festivals, alternative provisions for children, and more telling the story of Joseph The Useful Cardboard Box and creating cardboard sculptures.

Egypt Creative Day at Birchley PRU: story writing, costume making and music making.

Willow Pattern topic: Chinese Shadow Theatre, plate design, scenery and puppet making.

​Alice Themed Workshop at Priory Park Festival, Dudley.

Staff training at The Halesowen Project.

Space Theme Workshop at Waterstones Bookstore, Merry Hill, Dudley.

Real Arts Workshops today

#GivingPeopleACreativeVoice

Today we work with a wide range of organisations to deliver meaningful and engaging arts experiences and have developed our own programmes that bring people together, reduce isolation, educate, and encourage future aspirations. 

These include the #BuildingBridges future goals project; The #BigLinkUp Art collaborative project, #SupportLife suicide prevention project; Hive Memory Pots, Honesty Portraits, 5 Ways to Wellbeing and many more.