When one intergenerational project inspires another:

A Songs & Smiles painting in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

Sometimes the simplest joyful moments can spark something extraordinary. That’s exactly what happened when one of our Songs & Smiles sessions at Appleby Blue Almshouse in Bermondsey became the inspiration for a stunning painting, now featured in the Royal Academy’s Young Artists’ Summer Show!

Three paintings from ‘Everyone Lends A Hand’ were selected out of 23,000 submissions for display at the Royal Academy.

This heartwarming story began in Autumn 2024, when Sally Taylor, our brilliant Songs & Smiles leader and artist, joined an intergenerational arts project led by Ed Gray, artist-in-residence at Boutcher Primary School. The project, titled Everyone Lends A Hand, was a collaboration between the school, Appleby Blue Almshouse, and United St Saviour’s Charity, designed to build connection and creativity across generations.

Over three months, Ed’s Year 5 pupils (aged 9) worked closely with Appleby Blue residents to sketch and paint portraits, scenes from daily life, and joyful activities in the almshouse, including our own Songs & Smiles sessions. Music, movement, bubbles and big smiles filled the room, leaving a lasting impression on everyone involved.

The children’s final artworks were first exhibited locally at Appleby Blue, honouring the community that inspired them. Then came the incredible news: three paintings from the project were selected out of 23,000 submissions for display at the Royal Academy Young Artists’ Summer Show, a HUGE achievement!

Among them was Mina Frankenburg-Selby’s vibrant painting Babies, Bubbles and Biscuits, inspired by a Songs & Smiles session and now on display in the gallery itself.

Babies, Bubbles and Biscuits

Vote for Mina!

Mina’s painting is now up for the People’s Choice Award, and your vote could help her win! Click here to vote for Babies, Bubbles and Biscuits. Voting closes Sunday 31st August, so don’t miss your chance to help celebrate intergenerational joy through art!

Mina Frankenburg-Selby, artist

Sally Taylor shared:

“As an artist myself, I thoroughly enjoyed this project. It’s one of the best intergenerational activities I’ve taken part in. I’d been wanting to draw the people who visit the Songs & Smiles sessions for a long time. This project combined my artistic skills with the joy of spending time with a class of nine-year-olds – a truly unusual and wonderful opportunity.”

Artist and project lead Ed Gray shared:

“The Young Artists’ Summer Show at the Royal Academy is really something to see – so much creativity and talent. I was so proud to see three entries from our Boutcher Primary collaboration with Appleby Blue Almshouse made it into the exhibition, out of 23,000 entries. Congratulations to Kimberly, Minnie and Ademola, and all 16 pupils whose work made it into the online selection.”

“Our aim through this project was always to engage with the community, to exhibit our pupils’ work in a community setting, which we achieved at Appleby Blue, and now, to have their work in a public gallery in the heart of London is beyond what we hoped for.”

The project even went on to win the Best Collaborative Project award and a £250 prize! A well-deserved recognition for a truly meaningful initiative.

How to join the joy

If you’d like to experience the magic of Songs & Smiles with your little one, we’d love to welcome you! Our sessions bring together 0–4 year olds, their grownups, and older people living in care homes for a weekly hour of music, movement, bubbles and plenty of smiles.

Songs & Smiles session at Appleby Blue Almshouse

With huge thanks to:

• Sally Taylor – sallytaylorportraits.co.uk

• Boutcher Primary School – boutcher.southwark.sch.uk

• Ed Gray – edgrayart.co.uk

• United St Saviour’s Charity – ustsc.org.uk

• Appleby Blue Almshouse – Appleby Blue Almshouse

You can view all the selected artworks in the Young Artists' Summer Show online exhibition, and if you’re visiting in person, the Young Artists show runs until 10th August. Keep an eye out for Babies, Bubbles and Biscuits! If you spot it, take a selfie and tag us, we’d love to celebrate with you!

And don’t forget – vote for Mina here before 31st August to help celebrate the power of creativity across generations!