The Drawing Box Project is an approach that can be applied to any setting or environment. It’s a way of seeing and engaging in creativity that gives people the tools, confidence, and encouragement to focus on the creative process rather than fearing a bad outcome. It’s a way of connecting with others and with your surroundings through mark-making and creativity. The Drawing Box Project encourages participants to develop skills. They gain confidence, improve hand-eye coordination and increase observational skills - looking in new ways.

In 2020, around 500 individuals and families in and around Keighley received a special drawing box full of high-quality materials and engaging activities released weekly to get creative at home. Activities were shared through digital platforms, worksheets and participatory performances taking place at Keighley Creative, ‘live from the gallery window’.

The success of The Drawing Box Project was recognised with the Marsh Engage Award for Excellence in Gallery Education (later renamed Excellence in Visual Arts Engagement) in 2021. Gemma and Naseem were the first duo to win this award, reflecting the project’s innovative approach to community engagement. Since then it has expanded and evolved to reach new audiences and new places.

The Travel Drawing Box

In 2021, Naseem took families on drawing walks, exploring what greenspaces mean to different people with South Square Centre, Beam Arts and Keighley Creative, in a project that gifted them a special Travel Drawing Box. This introduced residents to fantastic, simple drawing techniques, connecting them to new and familiar outdoor spaces between Thornton and Keighley.

The Drawing Box Shop

Then, in 2022, Naseem collaborated with the Keighley Arts and Film Festival team to go BIG at the Drawing Box Shop. We took the values of The Drawing Box Project and took it to new heights. Two local disused shopping spaces in the Airedale Shopping Centre and the Historical Royal Arcade were paper lined and visitors were invited to draw anything they liked with the support of local artists!

The MEGA Drawing Box

And then it got MEGA in 2023, inspired by the Drawing Box Shop, as a giant drawing cube and events space in the Old Beales Department Store in Keighley! We celebrated drawing, with dancers who drew with charcoal feet and performers who brought sparkle and colour. Keighley folk made their mark with crazy mark making tools and seven artists were commissioned to  create murals on the outside of the cube. You can find out more about the MEGA Drawing Box here.

The Bog in a Drawing Box

In 2024 the Drawing Box Project went on its wildest journey yet and was re-designed to be used with Yorkshire Peat Partnership. The Bog in a Drawing Box is rugged, weather-proof and equipped with tools to help participants discover the peat bogs hiding on the tops of our hills.

Pledges to the Landscape

Alongside The Bog in a Drawing Box was a science and art kit that was gifted to six Keighley Schools that kickstarted The Pledges to the Landscape Project through WYCA Climate Change Community Fund.

Bradford 2025 Keighley Launch

To launch Bradford 2025, City of Culture in Keighley we teamed up with the Our Patch programme to provide a taster of The Drawing Box Project, visitors joined us to make their mark to kick off a jam-packed year of culture. But that wasn’t the end of The Drawing Box Project as part of Bradford 2025.

The MEGA Drawing Box in the Park

Naseem and Keighley Creative took The MEGA Drawing Box on tour for the first time at The Beacon in Cliffe Castle Park. We welcomed nearly 600 visitors to go green and make their mark inspired by nature. With our nature inspired playlist and wellbeing walks in the park with Get Out More CIC, visitors made giant drawing tools from recycled materials to create a collaborative nature-scape and explore nature connectedness. We commissioned seven artists to create murals inspired by the theme of nature on the outside of the box that came to life throughout the event.

The MEGA Drawing Box at The Big Draw

“Imagine believing only artists can be creative or that you need to have a specific set of technical skills to be able to make marks and then you find yourself in a MASSIVE Drawing Box where rules don’t exist” - The Big Draw, 2025.

As part of The Big Draw Festival 2025 Launch- Drawn Together, we opened up our green nature-scape for more members of the community to make their mark and help the collaborative mural keep blooming!

Where will The Drawing Box Project take us next? If you or your organisation would like to participate or collaborate with The Drawing Box Project, please contact us!