This Christmas, we’re adding a splash of festive cheer to the Coffs Coast community with the launch of our Creative Coffs Christmas Gift Drive. Our mission? To spread the magic of creativity by supplying vulnerable children and teens in Coffs Harbour with art supplies that inspire imagination, growth, and expression.
At Coast, we’ve always been passionate about nurturing creativity. As the creative hub of the Coffs Harbour community, we know how much art can shape lives, offering both therapeutic benefits and an outlet for personal expression. This Christmas season, we’re calling on our clients, local creatives, and the wider community to join us in bringing the joy of creativity to those who need it most. We’ll be matching the gifts donated, so for every one gift received, we’ll be adding another.
Why Art Supplies? 🎨🖌️🖍️✏️📔
For young people, especially those facing hardships, art supplies are more than just materials—they’re a pathway to self-expression, healing, and growth. Whether it’s a blank canvas that invites new ideas, a sketchbook that captures dreams, or vibrant paints that bring imagination to life, the gift of art supplies is the gift of possibility.
The act of creating can be a powerful form of therapy, allowing kids and teens to process emotions, develop problem-solving skills, and gain confidence in their unique talents. For many, it can even ignite a lifelong passion for creativity that leads to exciting career opportunities in the arts.
A Christmas Gift with Impact 🎁
This year, as part of our Creative Coffs Christmas initiative, we’re calling on our community to donate art materials such as sketchbooks, paints, brushes, pencils, graphic pens, posca pens, and other creative supplies.
With these simple gifts, we aim to brighten the holidays for local youth who may not otherwise have access to these resources. In doing so, we hope to inspire a generation of young creatives to explore their artistic potential and pursue their dreams.
Our team at Coast is dedicated to giving back to the community, and we’ve long supported young people by offering work experience placements and participating in local school career days. By providing local students with real-world insights into the creative industry, we hope to open doors and encourage them to see the possibilities of a creative career.
Through this Christmas gift drive, we want to go one step further—ensuring that every child and teen in Coffs Harbour has the tools they need to explore their creative potential. It’s a small gesture that can have a big impact on their lives, giving them the means to create, express, and heal in ways they may not have been able to before.
How You Can Help
We invite you to join us in spreading Christmas cheer by donating to the Creative Coffs Christmas Gift Drive. It’s easy to get involved:
- Drop off donations 🎁: Bring art supplies to our studio at 2/11 Murdock Street, Coffs Harbour (near Coffs Central). Donations will be accepted Monday to Friday until Tuesday 17 December. Please contact Jena at Coast directly if you’d like to make an after-hours drop-off.
- What to donate 🎨:
- Creative arts gifts for children aged 2-5, 12-16 and 17-24
- New and unused art supplies such as:
- Sketchbooks
- Journals
- Paints
- Oil pastels
- Brushes
- Pencils, pens, Posca pens
- Modelling clay
- Canvas
- Easels
- Make a virtual donation 🎁: If you can’t donate physical items, you can make a monetary donation to help us purchase supplies on your behalf. Donate via our website here.
We’ve partnered with Groundworks Youth & Family Hub to ensure all donations are distributed to local children and teens, making their holiday season brighter and more colourful.
“Groundworks provides essential support services to young people in the Coffs Harbour, Nambucca Heads, and Bellingen areas who are experiencing difficulties such as domestic and family violence, homelessness, and mental health challenges.
Sue Currie
Through the generous initiative of Coast’s Creative Christmas Gift Drive, and the active participation of the local community, these vulnerable young individuals will not only receive much-needed Christmas gifts but also be inspired to explore their creative potential. As an organisation, we have witnessed the therapeutic impacts creative activities can have on young people, by recording thoughts in journals, using visual diaries, unearthing, and encouraging artistic interests and talents, or just using art as a safe way of expressing emotions.
We thank Coast Agency and the community for supporting this great initiative – the gifting of creative tools and materials will support young people’s wellbeing and will demonstrate to them that people do care. This heartwarming project will provide a sense of joy, hope, and encouragement to those who may otherwise feel forgotten during the festive season.”
Groundworks Program Manager: Families, Young People and Communities
Why Coffs Coast’s Young Creatives Matter
Coffs Harbour is home to a wealth of young talent, and supporting this talent is crucial for the future of our community. As a business deeply invested in the local creative scene, we’re committed to helping young people pursue careers in the arts. Whether it’s through visual arts, design, or digital media, we know that nurturing these creative skills strengthens the cultural fabric of our town.
By supporting local youth, we’re investing in their futures and in the future of our community. Together, we can help create an environment where every child feels empowered to express themselves and pursue their dreams.
Let’s Spread Christmas Cheer Together
This holiday season, let’s come together to make a real difference in the lives of Coffs Coast’s young creatives. With your support, we can ensure that creativity shines brightly across our community this Christmas.
Thank you for helping us make a creative Christmas possible for Coffs Coast’s youth! 🎄
