Free creative workshops bring Portsmouth's untold stories to life

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Portsmouth residents are being invited to get creative at a series of free collage, printmaking and zine-making workshops at Portsmouth Central Library this October. The workshops are being run by local arts organisation This New Ground as part of Groundwork, a heritage project that has collected the stories of 50 people with learning disabilities from across Portsmouth. Through recorded oral history interviews, people shared memories and experiences of growing up, family, friendships, relationships, work and life in the city. The 50 interviews have now been deposited with Portsmouth History Centre, ensuring the voices and experiences of people with learning disabilities become part of Portsmouth's recorded history and are preserved for future generations. Now This New Ground is inviting the wider community to discover the project and respond to some of the stories through creativity. The relaxed, friendly workshops will give people the chance to experiment with collage, printmaking and zine-making, with no previous art experience needed. "We're incredibly proud that these 50 stories are now part of Portsmouth's recorded history, and we'd love local people to come along, discover the project and get creative with us. You don't need to think of yourself as an artist, the workshops are for everyone,' said Lucy Greonewoud, Cco-director of This New Ground The free workshops will take place at Portsmouth History Centre, Portsmouth Central Library, Guildhall Walk, Portsmouth PO1 2DX. Thursday 1 October: 10am–12pmThursday 8 October: 3pm–5pmSaturday 24 October: 10am–12pm and 1pm–3pm The workshops are free and open to the community, but places are limited and advance booking is recommended. For more information and to book a place, visit thisnewground.com or search 'This New Ground Collage & Zine Workshops' on Eventbrite. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram @thisnewgrounduk. This New Ground is a participatory arts organisation creating opportunities for people with a learning disability to make, participate and lead in the arts.