Creative Sparks Projects
for Schools!
At Creative Sparks, we believe creativity should play a central role in every student’s education — not just as a subject, but as a powerful tool for wellbeing and personal development. Creative expression helps young people build vital life skills, including problem-solving, collaboration, and emotional resilience — while boosting confidence and self-esteem.
Yet many students in rural, regional, and low socio-economic areas face barriers to accessing the wellbeing programs they need (Australia is ranked one of the worst countries for school funding inequity (OECD Save our Schools 2024)). Creative Sparks School Projects addresses this gap by delivering a mural-based wellbeing program that brings the mental health benefits of art directly into under-resourced school communities.
Designed specifically for students at risk of disengagement, the program engages young people in a co-creative, place-based mural process — guided by professional artists and facilitators. Over 3-4 weeks, students collaborate to design and paint a mural that reflects their voices, builds pride in their school, and strengthens their sense of connection to place and community.
The program offers structured support to promote:
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Social-emotional skill development
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A stronger sense of belonging and school pride
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Creative engagement that supports mental health
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Inclusive pathways for students often left out of wellbeing initiatives
Creative Sparks School Projects aligns closely with the goals of the Mental Health in Schools initiative and can be tailored with school leaders or DET area teams to meet the specific needs of your student cohort.
If you're a school looking to strengthen wellbeing and student engagement through creativity, get in touch — we’d love to chat.
Evidence backed Creative Programs
Creative Sparks Schools Program directly supports the Department of Education’s wellbeing, equity, and engagement goals by fostering social-emotional skills and a sense of belonging—factors proven to enhance student mental health and academic outcomes. Research by VicHealth (2015) demonstrates that participation in community arts projects strengthens social connection and improves mental wellbeing, particularly among young people in disadvantaged settings.
Furthermore, a study published in BMC Public Health (Davies et al., 2016) found that arts engagement can reduce risk-taking behaviours and promote resilience by increasing self-esteem and community connectedness. By integrating creative expression with targeted wellbeing interventions,
Creative Sparks Projects provides an evidence-based model that helps schools cultivate inclusive, supportive environments where vulnerable students can thrive. We are constantly evaluating and applying learnings from each Program to carry unto the next for the students benefits to continuously grow.
References:
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VicHealth. (2015). The art of being mentally healthy: Arts participation and mental wellbeing in the community. https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/media-and-resources/publications/the-art-of-being-mentally-healthy
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Davies, C., et al. (2016). The art of being mentally healthy: Community arts and mental health in public health. BMC Public Health, 16, 2672. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-2672-7
Our Project Outline.
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