Picking just a few was hard, but here's what stuck with us most:
The phone call:
"Fran, Fran, we got it! We got the funding!" If you'd seen us in that moment, you'd have thought we'd won the lottery. And in a way, we had. Getting the grant from Arts Council England meant that we could remain open, and keep on championing children and their boundless creativity (well, at least for another few months).
Opening day:
Hands down, the highlight of highlights. Watching our doors open for the first time, cutting that ribbon, and seeing our little gallery fill with art, families, and happy chatter is a moment neither of us will ever forget.
Setting up a collaborative project:
Finding ourselves under a pile of cardboard boxes to set up our giant Christmas tree, or tracing a massive anatomical heart for our LOVE exhibition; these times are often chaotic, a little ridiculous, and very joyful, which pretty much sums up how we run this place.
A full room, fully focused:
Some of our favourite moments aren't the big ones, they're the quiet ones. A full class, with every child completely absorbed in their own creation, is when we remember exactly why we do this.
Thank you for being part of a year that's given us all of this, and more. Here's to twelve more months of it, hopefully!
