ART FOR ALL
Art for All is a project coordinated by artist Ryan Galea, offering a series of creative workshops at the Port Regional Council Active Ageing centres. As part of the 2026 Region of Culture programme, the initiative gives participants the opportunity to explore creativity, emotional wellbeing, and mental health through artistic engagement and expression.
Neuro Art
This workshop encourages participants to activate both hemispheres of the brain by drawing with both hands at the same time. The activity promotes self-expression, spontaneity, and freedom from self-judgment.
Participants start with guided exercises involving repeated shapes, such as expanding circles and squares, helping them explore rhythm and visual patterns. They then move on to creating ornamental, carpet-like compositions before progressing to drawing flowers simultaneously with both hands. Each flower may represent different areas of life, including family, work, or personal development. Inspired by abstract art, the session celebrates individuality and the many ways people grow and thrive.
Music and Emotion
This session examines the relationship between music, emotion, and artistic creativity. Through listening to a variety of songs and artists, participants are encouraged to explore emotional responses and express them visually.
The workshop is rooted in sensory exploration, focusing on how sound can influence mood, energy, and reflection. Inspired by Piet Mondrian and his artwork Broadway Boogie Woogie, participants translate rhythm, movement, and musical energy into abstract visual compositions.
Coffee Landscape Painting
This activity combines painting with sensory experience by using coffee and chamomile tea as painting materials. Coffee represents vitality and stimulation, while chamomile evokes calm and relaxation. The resulting artworks feature soft sepia tones reminiscent of vintage photographs, creating feelings of nostalgia and memory.
Participants paint landscapes inspired by their local environment using techniques similar to watercolor painting. The workshop draws inspiration from Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet, as well as the work of Ekene Ngige, blending atmosphere, memory, and sensory storytelling.
Finger Painting
This workshop highlights the value of creative ideas over precise detail, encouraging participants to step back and appreciate the overall composition rather than focusing on perfection. Using hands directly to apply paint creates a tactile and immersive artistic experience.
Inspired by Damien Hirst and Georges Seurat, the activity encourages participants to trust the artistic process. Emphasis is placed on patience, experimentation, and allowing the artwork to naturally evolve over time rather than attempting to control every outcome.
Graffiti Stick Man
This activity explores the philosophy of street art, drawing inspiration from artists such as Stik and Keith Haring. It reflects the idea of leaving a personal mark — “I was here” — while accepting that others may later transform or build upon the artwork.
Participants experiment with simple stick figures, enriching them with symbols such as hearts, stars, fish, lines, and musical notes to communicate meaning, emotion, and personal stories.
During the group workshop, elderly participants collaborated through playful drawing exercises using basic shapes and expressive lines. The activity encouraged movement, storytelling, and emotional expression while fostering creativity, confidence, and mutual support. In a relaxed and social environment, participants discovered how even the simplest figures can carry personal memories and shared experiences.
The Project, part of the 2026 Region of Culture, is being supported by the Port Regional Council, by Active Ageing Malta, by the Local Government Division and by the Parliamentary Secretariat for Local Government.
