Portsmouth Museum Brings Art to Parks and Cemeteries via Tuk-Tuk Outreach

Between August 2024 and September 2025, Portsmouth Museum & Art Gallery ran 'Unlocking the Quietness of Feeling', a community programme using landscape paintings by Benjamin Horton. The museum engaged 2,500 residents through 75 nature-based art activities held in parks, gardens, cemeteries, and community centres, targeting toddlers, young carers, people with dementia, refugees, adults with SEND, and families eligible for free school meals. The programme was anchored to the theme of trees, inspired by Horton's donated collection of around 300 works. Activities included charcoal drawing, ceramic tile painting, macramé, clay work, and watercolour. The museum used a library service tuk-tuk to transport materials to outdoor venues. A final exhibition showcased participants' work with professional framing and a celebration. Grace Scott and Mathilde Chanvin presented the project at a MuseumNext session.