Arts Lab

18/06/2026

What happens when you step away from the workplace for just a day and let go of the daily pressure to perform?

Our latest Creative Reset awayday at Arts Lab’s Rural Peace Hub outside Hexham was a reminder of the power of creativity, play and taking time to pause.

Here’s what some participants shared:

“Exactly what I needed!! A day of free-flowing creative activity… letting go of perfectionism and predetermined outcomes.”

“Very useful and very timely — I had been feeling very burnt out and frustrated with my job.”

“It gave a fresh perspective on aspects of my life — and reminded me of the importance of creativity and play.”

A day to step away from the everyday, reconnect with yourself, and explore new perspectives through creative practice.

Our next “Something’s Gotta Give” Creative Reset days are:
6th & 7th July, 6th & 7th Aug , 6th & 7th Sept, 9th & 10th Oct

If you’re feeling at a crossroads, stretched or simply ready for some space to think differently - this is for you.

🔗 Book your place via the link in bio

10/06/2026

Our first "Something’s Gotta Give Creative Reset Awayday” got off to a fantastic start last Friday. The positive energy at the Rural Peace Hub was palpable, and by home time, people were leaving with fresh perspectives, renewed enthusiasm, and a real sense of can-do and connection. Arts Lab’s work doesn’t get much more fulfilling than this.

This recurring one-day creative reset is designed for anyone feeling burnt out, disillusioned, stuck, or simply in need of a fresh spark - in work or in life.

The images in this poster are just a few moments from the day… more to come, along with participant testimonials.

Full details and booking via our Eventbrite link. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/somethings-gotta-give-a-creative-reset-for-professionals-feeling-stuck-tickets-1987303066970

Upcoming dates:

July 6th & 7th
August 6th & 7th
September 6th & 7th
October 9th & 10th

Special rates are available for groups of 5+. Please get in touch directly for details.

03/06/2026

Have a look at the new video short created by our Newcastle University intern, Elana Purkins , first year Fine Art. https://youtu.be/OeQ46rD55cI?si=jGZ8wV92C5Odc-21

31/05/2026

Excited for the first "Something's Gotta Give" workshop next week. Still spaces available - see the Eventbrite link below for full details and booking.

Looking forward to welcoming everyone to the first “Something’s Gotta Give” workshop next week.

This unique day offers a chance to step away from everyday pressures and explore creativity with guidance from an artist who’s spent more than 40 years teaching, making and exhibiting work. Through simple, accessible activities, you'll discover new ways of thinking, build confidence, and gain fresh perspectives.

You don't need any artistic experience. The workshop isn't about creating great art - it’s about using creativity as a tool to reflect, reconnect with what matters, and find new approaches to everyday challenges.

There are still a few places available, and discounted rates are offered for group bookings of four or more.
If you're interested, please contact me directly.
Full details and booking can be found via the Eventbrite link here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/somethings-gotta-give-a-creative-reset-for-professionals-feeling-stuck-tickets-1987303066970

31/05/2026

Looking forward to welcoming everyone to the first “Something’s Gotta Give” workshop next week.

This unique day offers a chance to step away from everyday pressures and explore creativity with guidance from an artist who’s spent more than 40 years teaching, making and exhibiting work. Through simple, accessible activities, you'll discover new ways of thinking, build confidence, and gain fresh perspectives.

You don't need any artistic experience. The workshop isn't about creating great art - it’s about using creativity as a tool to reflect, reconnect with what matters, and find new approaches to everyday challenges.

There are still a few places available, and discounted rates are offered for group bookings of four or more.
If you're interested, please contact me directly.
Full details and booking can be found via the Eventbrite link here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/somethings-gotta-give-a-creative-reset-for-professionals-feeling-stuck-tickets-1987303066970

25/05/2026

How telling that people from completely different walks of life keep arriving at Rural Peace Hub looking for the exact same thing:
🌿 peace🌿 quiet🌿 beauty🌿 space to breathe

Over the past couple of weeks alone, our guests have included a business director, social workers, a teacher, horticulturalists, a dentist, a tech consultant, a sustainable farming advisor, a fitness coach for corporate leaders … travelling here from around the UK, Poland, India and Pakistan.

Conversations - around the breakfast table, beside the evening fireplace, or most recently under a star-lit sky in the garden - have centred on how difficult it has become to maintain a healthy life-work balance, and how necessary it is to occasionally take time out and recharge.

This is why Arts Lab’s upcoming workshops at the Hub feel so right: “Something’s Gotta Give: A Creative Reset Awayday for Professionals Feeling Stuck or Burnt Out.”

Running from June to October, these are some of the most beautiful months to experience this off-the-beaten-track haven. Places are still available, so be sure to make your reservation if you’re in the least bit tempted!

Check out the Eventbrite link for details and booking - including dates, workshop content, approach, outcomes, testimonials, and further links.

Workshops • Exhibition • Open Studio with Sara Downham-Lotto. Reflect & recharge through guided creative practice. No art experience needed.

20/05/2026

Wondering what Arts Lab is actually like to experience? Here are a few things people have said recently:

“Stimulating, accessible, and deeply engaging.”

“Meaningful and focused, without expectations of artistic skill.”

“Completely unique - I’d never experienced anything like it before.”

Over the last few years, Arts Lab has been quietly growing - shaped by a belief that creative, thoughtful spaces matter more than ever right now. Especially for people who feel burnt out, stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected from meaningful collaboration.

Our upcoming workshop, Something’s Gotta Give, is designed as a creative reset awayday for professionals who need space to think, reflect, reconnect, and reimagine what comes next. No artistic experience needed. Just curiosity, openness, and a willingness to pause for a moment.

Full details & booking via Eventbrite link here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/somethings-gotta-give-a-creative-reset-for-professionals-feeling-stuck-tickets-1987303066970

19/05/2026

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of joining The Crit at Dovecote Street Arts in Amble for an informal presentation on the Rural Peace Hub.

As a conversation opener, and lead-in to much of what the Peace Hub stands for, I asked the 50-or-so attendees to find a partner in the room who they hadn’t met before, and discuss:

Does the world need more artists?

How would you go about making this happen if you had the power?

What steps could you take in your own community?

In a room full of creatives, you can imagine the animated conversation, some results of which were written on cards (images 1-3). What a world it would be, hey, if our world valued art and artists more.

14/05/2026

14/05/2026

Many of you may have seen the recent Guardian article exploring how arts and cultural engagement may help slow biological ageing and improve health outcomes.

As someone who has worked in the arts for more than 40 years - especially in the visual arts - this really resonated. Over the decades, I’ve seen first-hand the positive impact creative engagement can have on individuals, workplaces, and communities.

For many of us in the sector, this simply confirms what we’ve long believed: the arts matter deeply to our wellbeing and sense of connection.

Now newly based in the North East of England, we’re looking to connect with collaborators, organisations, and communities who share this vision and want to help amplify the power of the arts.

If this speaks to you, we’d love to start a conversation.

Also. have a look also at our upcoming scheduled workshops:
‘Something’s Gotta Give: A Creative Reset Awayday for Professionals Feeling Stuck or Burnt Out’ through Eventbrite link https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/somethings-gotta-give-a-creative-reset-for-professionals-feeling-stuck-tickets-1987303066970

Please feel free to message, connect, or share with someone who may be interested.