Impact & Evidence

Why Our Work Matters

People across Greater Manchester are facing growing pressures around emotional and mental wellbeing. Many children, young people, carers, families, and community members are navigating anxiety, loneliness, transition, identity questions, and a reduced sense of connection.

The Holding Palette CIC responds to this need through two connected strands of work: therapeutic arts programmes and clinical art therapy services. Our therapeutic arts programmes offer early, accessible support in schools and community settings, while our clinical art therapy services provide more in-depth therapeutic support where needed.

Across both strands, our work is grounded in the belief that creativity can help people express what may be difficult to put into words. Through art-making, metaphor, and carefully held spaces, participants are supported to pause, reflect, regulate, and reconnect with themselves and others.

The Evidence Behind Our Approach

Our work is shaped by art psychotherapy, trauma-informed practice, attachment theory, psychodynamic thinking, and psychology. These approaches help us understand how safety, creativity, relationship, and symbolic expression can support emotional wellbeing.

Creativity supports regulation: Art-making can help people slow down, settle, and connect with their sensory and emotional experiences.

Non-verbal expression matters: Some feelings are difficult to explain directly. Art and metaphor offer another way to communicate, explore, and make meaning.

Containment creates safety: Clear structure, repeated themes, and carefully facilitated sessions help participants feel safe enough to explore at their own pace.

Connection strengthens wellbeing: Creative group spaces can reduce isolation and support a sense of belonging, especially when participants feel seen and accepted.

Meaning-making supports agency: Our programmes are not only about feeling better in the moment. They support participants to understand their experiences, reframe internal narratives, and develop a stronger sense of agency.

Our Evaluation Approach

We use simple, accessible evaluation tools that respect the emotional nature of the work. We do not want evaluation to feel like a test or a pressure for participants. Instead, we gather feedback in ways that are thoughtful, creative, and appropriate to each group.

This may include:

• reflective prompts

• creative evaluation activities

• short check-ins

• participant feedback forms

• partner observations

• facilitator reflections

• before-and-after measures where appropriate

For each programme, we look at both the process and the outcomes. This helps us understand not only what changed, but how the creative and therapeutic process supported that change.