Led by Rod Kippen, Clinical Lead of Creativity and Social Action at 42nd Street in Ancoats, Manchester, the session invited young leaders to reflect on how the arts can support mental health, nurture resilience and shape compassionate leadership.
Starting with creativity
The session began with a simple but profound question: What does creativity give you? Responses flowed quickly and honestly, painting a vivid picture of why creativity matters to this group. Creativity was described as offering:
- Relaxation and comfort
- Freedom and imagination
- Ownership and self-expression
- Time to think and space to explore
- An outlet for feelings
- Challenge, accomplishment and fulfilment
- Happiness
When asked whether they considered themselves artists, the answer was unanimous: yes.
Each participant then selected a postcard designed by young people from 42nd Street, sharing what drew them to the artwork and its message. These conversations set the tone for a session rooted in openness, curiosity and self-reflection.
Creating collages and zines
After a tour of The Horsfall and a talk from Rod about the mental health benefits of creativity, the group headed upstairs for a hands-on collage-making workshop.
Young people were encouraged to play and experiment — starting with mark-making inspired by everyday moments: the journey to the venue, a favourite meal from the week, or the colour that best represented happiness to them. From there, stacks of magazines were torn into, layered and reimagined.
Each collage became a personal statement, representing:
- Who they are
- What they can do
- What they will do
Textures, colours, shapes and key words came together on large A3 pieces, which were then photocopied and transformed into zines — tangible, shareable expressions of identity and ambition.
Creating a public display
For the final challenge, the group returned to the front windows of The Horsfall to create a public display using paint pens, answering one final question: What does creativity mean to you?
The last hour buzzed with discussion, collaboration and decision-making. Splitting into smaller teams, each group took ownership of a window. Some chose to showcase their artistic style, while others focused on sharing encouraging, inspirational messages with the wider community.
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The finished display is a collective declaration — urging passers-by to “be you, there’s only one chance,” affirming that “creativity is equality,” and celebrating how we can be “flawed but flourishing”.
Visit the display
The Creative Leaders’ window display will be available to view until the end of January 2026 at:
87–91 Great Ancoats Street, M4 5AG.
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A huge thank you to Rod and the team at 42nd Street and The Horsfall for their generosity, insight and inspiring work. You can find out more about the incredible support they offer young people here.
Lead image and final image credits: Tilly 2026
