First Delivered for Standard Practice in 2020, then modified for the Rethink Mental Illness Manchester Support Group, Everybody Draw was a friendly and inclusive online drawing class designed to help make sense of the world around us, and foster a sense of community and togetherness in times of social distancing.

It’s built on the premise that drawing is a fundamentally accessible and inclusive form of art making, with no need for specialist equipment, technical ability, or expert knowledge. Everybody can take part. The exercises aim to demonstrate the use of drawing as a tool for discovery and to help make sense of the world around you through just looking and reflecting in a more mindful way using only a pencil and a piece of paper.

Sample of feedback collected after the sessions for Rethink Mental Illness:

I used to be quite creative but never drawing, so I know now that I can always get out my pencil and paper and have a go, I found it very mindful and therapeutic, like I could switch off to everything else and get caught up in the process.

The freedom to be creative and not prescriptive. To let my right brain dominate my left brain for a change! I have had an extremely stressful week, including my own reaction to stressors, so it was great to have a completely different and purely enjoyable thing to focus on. Doing it in a group also makes a huge difference. I didn't feel so isolated and lonely. Listening to others feedback and sharing our drawings and seeing all the different styles was such a connecting experience. Thank you so much.

It has shown that the journey of art can be more important than the end result.

I really enjoyed the drawing, seeing the smiling friendly faces of the other participants, looking at their artwork and listening to them

I was really engaged with the session drawing the scrunched up ball with my eyes closed (session 7). Again, I haven't drawn like this before. I think when you take away the most important thing (looking with your eyes), the whole process becomes something more interesting. Relying on your sense of touch and your "minds eye" really requires concentration. I loved the intense focus. It would only happen in short bursts, a bit like meditation. And the whole "this needs to look good/right" thought I always get becomes irrelevant. This was good as judgmental thoughts can take up a lot of my brain power when working - I end up overthinking what I'm doing and not do very much.

I felt more relaxed, for sure. I also felt uplifted and happy to be doing something in a social group.

It was good because when I was drawing I was focused on that only and it took my mind off lots of other negative stuff going on in my head and its nice to do something creative for a change which the sessions are making me do

It helped focus my mind for an hour on something other than myself. I always go away from the session wanting to do more. And from this one, I'd like to spend more time actually looking at the world around me. Try to take my time with it if I can.

a great way to interact a bit with others - just the shared experience of drawing together is a great feeling