Magic Carpet (Exeter)

On Friday, Snapdragon experimented with Indian block printing. The results were bold and bright.

Well done, everyone!

Groups and artists are taking a few weeks off now, but will be back to it at the end of August. Get in touch if you want to join Snapdragon as we have spaces available from the beginning of September.

Enjoy the sun, and we will see you all soon 🌞

📢 Spaces have become available in one of our MAKE. ART. SOCIAL groups 📢

Snapdragon is a visual arts group aimed at adults with disabilities. The group explores many different processes and techniques such as print making, painting, sculpture, felt, mosaic, paper making, and much much more. The group explores themes that are often inspired by the world around us, including nature, identity, and the changing seasons.

Snapdragon is a friendly, relaxed, and social group.

Tag someone you know who might benefit from a group such and this.

For more info, contact Hannah: [email protected]

One of our brilliant Magic Carpet artists, Rona, has created this print, which we have made into cards that you can purchase.

There will be more prints and cards designed by other talented artists in our Tuesday Club and Snapdragan groups.

Watch this space for more prints and details of where you can buy them 👀

Thanks to and the St David's councillors who provided a grant to get this project in motion.

Our Thurspians Drama group had a brilliant trip to the Theatre last week with one member getting up on stage to be part of the show! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it and have some inspiration to take back to the drama group.

Thanks to for making us feel very welcome and Norman Family Charitable Trust for recent funding to support Thurspains and trips out such as this.

Introducing the Honiton Peacock 🦚 what a gorgeous group project to mark the Wednesday groups' last session for a while whilst we re-jig what we offer in Honiton.

We are here at the mental health awareness fayre at Exeter Central Library. Come and create with us. Collage, doodle how you feel, explore colour with pastels. We are here until 2pm.

Magic Carpet Art sessions are very colourful at the moment. A time to be creative, explore colour, try something new, chat with friends old and new. That's what we do!

Don't miss out on this year's mental health awareness fayre at Exeter Central Library.

Friday 17th May 9am - 2pm.

We will be there offering a chance to get creative and artistic. No experience is needed. Just turn up and have a go. We will be there to guide you.

There will also be other activities on offer and plenty of people and organisations there to chat to and learn from.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Our friends are raising essential funds in order to allow them to deliver the 7th annual D'Arts Summer festival.

D’Arts Festival is an inclusive community arts festival in the heart of Devon for adults with learning disabilities. Co-created by those that access it, local community groups can share their talents on stage as well as access music, dance and arts workshops by professional practitioners. There is no other festival like this in the southwest – where people with learning disabilities have access to the experience of a summer festival, camping and all!

Please spare whatever you can 🙏

Magic Carpet members are looking forward to attending and performing 🎭 😊 💃

Snapdragon art group created these amazing pieces on Friday inspired by the artist Terry Frost and the colourful window at

They have really brightened my day, so I hope they brighten yours 🌞

We are delighted to announce that we received funding from to support the continuation of a number of our projects and to bring some new ideas to fruition.

The Creative Space consists of 3 weekly groups, each with a slightly different focus, but all use artmaking and creativity to promote positive mental health. We are excited to see how these collectives of brilliant artists develop throughout the year.

Check out our stories today for first-hand accounts of why these groups are so important.

Huge thanks to National Lottery players and

📢 NEWS ALERT 📢

An exciting new chapter for Magic Carpet.

From April 1st Magic Carpet will become part of Exeter Community Initiatives (ECI), another local charity which shares our values and mission.

Our staff will transfer to the new organisation, our projects will continue, and several Magic Carpet trustees will join the new combined board.

Tim Goodwin, Chair of Trustees at ECI said: “We are delighted Magic Carpet will be joining Exeter Community Initiatives. Like ECI, Magic Carpet has faced increasingly challenging times financially. Both Trustee Boards feel joining forces will strengthen both charities enabling us to save costs by sharing back-office functions, marketing and outreach.”

Jeanette Sanderson, Magic Carpet Chair of Trustees, said: “The whole team at Magic Carpet are looking forward to a bright future as part of a larger organisation, continuing to offer creativity with compassion for those most at need in our community for many years to come.”

Come back, sun 🌞

Last Friday, Snapdragon were making and decorating willow leaves with brightly coloured tissue paper to welcome new growth and the coming of spring.

Congratulations, Hannah and Andrea, on completing the Riverside 10k today in pouring rain and cold weather AND raising over £750 for Magic Carpet. Amazing! A huge thanks to everyone who has donated so far.

There's still time to donate and help support the work we do every single week in Exeter. Donations go directly towards delivering art and drama groups for adults with learning disabilities, neurodivergence, and mental health difficulties.

Link in bio. Happy Sunday 😊

Huge thanks to everyone that has donated to Hannahs fundraiser so far, so amazing what a few people giving a little can raise in just a few days. Hannah is so close to her target, please give what ever you can and help our community going.

Hannah says:

"I am raising money for Magic Carpet, the charity that I work for. Those of your that know me, will be aware that its not been an easy ride and funding is extremely hard to get in the arts and charitable sector now more than ever. I have worked tirelessly to keep Magic Carpet sessions going because I believe in the importance of art, creativity, expression and community as powerful tools to improve people's lives and health. Access to the arts and creative expression should be a given and not something we have to fight for, especially for marginalised groups in our communities."

https://www.justgiving.com/page/hannah-hulin-1708516365941?fbclid=IwAR3hxMlit3-OnJiQgNXqgW__x2ad4IiJ38T_RSH19Huk5H_uF0SJvKOd4JE

Hannah's fundraiser for Magic Carpet Arts Help Hannah Hulin raise money to support Magic Carpet Arts

Hannah, our Manager, is running the Exeter Riverside 10k tomorrow and raising vital funds for Magic Carpet.

Hannah says, "I am raising money for Magic Carpet, the charity that I work for. Those of your that know me will be aware that it's not been an easy ride, and funding is extremely hard to get in the arts and charitable sector now more than ever. I have worked tirelessly to keep Magic Carpet sessions going because I believe in the importance of art, creativity, expression, and community as powerful tools to improve people's lives and health. Access to the arts and creative expression should be a given and not something we have to fight for, especially for marginalised groups in our communities."

Please donate anything you can spare and think of Hannah tomorrow when she is attempting to run the furthest she has in over 6 years!!

Good luck, Hannah!

Our Manager, Hannah, is running the Exeter Riverside 10k this Sunday, to raise money for Magic Carpet’s projects. It’s proving harder than ever to raise the funds needed to keep the valuable work that we do going in the long term. We know the power and importance of creativity and the arts for people’s health and wellbeing, but we need support to continue delivering arts groups to those most in need!

Please spare whatever you can to support us, and Hannah, as she runs the furthest she has run in over 6 years!

Hannah's fundraiser for Magic Carpet Arts Help Hannah Hulin raise money to support Magic Carpet Arts

We have some very talented artists in our groups. This abstract piece was created in James Tuesday art session and finished at home.

Well worth framing and sharing, well done!

Come check out our exhibition thats up at Exeter Phoenix Walkway gallery whilst you still can AND grab one of our calendars for a reduced price :-)

Story into Art Exhibition – One week left! – Magic Carpet Story into Art Exhibition – One week left! / Uncategorized / By MagicCarpet One week left to come and check out our exhibiton of Wind and the willows in the Exeter Phoenix Walkway Gallery. Pictured here is one of the proud artists who was involved in creating this project. Calendars are still ava...

Our Honiton group was inspired by the cold weather last week and created these amazing mountain scenes...and hats and gloves to keep warm 😀

Magic Carpet are holding a bring & buy sale of art materials and equipment this weekend.

Clear out that stuff that you never used, and donate it. Come along and find the bits for a new project; that weird colour of silk dye; some missing parts for that thing; picture frames with and without glass of all sizes; a bunch of vintage pencils; loads of wooden easels, etc!

This is a fundraiser, but the prices are going to be competitive, with many still-packaged art materials, sets and ranges. Suitable for beginners, professionals and even specialists.

27 Paris St.
11am to 2pm.
Saturday 6th January.

Keep your eyes peeled on our stories, for examples of the stuff that is up for grabs!

Merry Christmas from everyone here at Magic Carpet.

The office is closed now, and we will be available again from 2nd January.

See you all in the New Year

✨️

Thurspias Too and Exmouth Extraordinary Theatre company decided to go traditional for their Christmas performances this year with a Nativity. Lots of fun was had as they put their own spin on it, and they had lots of fun dressing up. Big shout out to for helping create these brilliant costumes. Friends, family, and support workers all came along to enjoy their performances, and they thoroughly enjoyed it.

Well done to everyone involved 👏 and Merry Christmas!

We'd like to thank for sponsoring our Open Studios groups through these winter months. You have helped provide a valuable safe space for people to be creative. Thank you!

Thank you David and Charles for your donation to support our Open Studio art groups this winter.

Laura, one of our participants, explained why Open Studios is so important to her:
"I really love this group because it’s really friendly people and it’s helped make me very confident. I know these people care, and the people that run it care...And they put up with me being cheeky and quirky, and that makes me happy. "

2pm Today!

Haven't managed to get around to making your Christmas cards yet? Look no further. Our groups have made them for you.

Come take a look through our selection of handprinted cards at Exeter Phoenix.

Our new website is live.

We have gone for someting really simple and accessible. Please let us know what you think as it is still a work in progress!

https://www.magiccarpet-arts.co.uk/