WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO

At Artytime, our mission is simple: to bring arts and crafts to people of all ages and abilities. One of the ways we do this is through our community Scrapstore, a place where recycled materials are given new life in creative projects.

For just £30 a year, (£50 for groups) you can become an Artytime member. Membership gives you access to the Scrapstore, where everything is free to take and use. Larger items like sewing machines or specialist equipment requiring a small donation.

By joining, you’re not just supporting your own creativity, you are helping us keep materials in use, inspire more local projects and grow a stronger creative community.

Collage of colorful, handcrafted items including a tray of felt flowers, embroidered bird pins, and a person carrying a large blue bag outdoors.
Join today

HOW WE GOT WHERE WE ARE

Before Covid, Artytime ran a variety of sessions in the community, from after-school art clubs to Messy Mobs for babies and toddlers. We held Family Fun groups linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, and our Young at Heart sessions even brought little ones into care homes to share art and joy across generations. During lockdown (when we were allowed to open), the Scrapstore came into its own as people discovered their creative side.

We would like to restart some of these sessions once our extension is built. It will be a fit-for-purpose art and craft studio/workshop accessible to all interested in creativity. Download our volunteer form if you’d like to get involved and be part of bringing these sessions back to the community.

Volunteer form
Collage of children and adults engaging in creative activities. A child holds a hairdryer on a painting; children paint and make crafts like a paper cat; some decorate with spray paint and foam shapes; an adult stitches on a sewing machine; and another person crafts black pirate-themed paper masks.

FAQS

  • Monday: 3:30pm – 5:30pm
    Tuesday & Wednesday: 9:30am – 11:30am
    Thursday: 4:00pm – 6:00pm
    Every 2nd & last Sunday of the month: 10:00am – 12:00pm

    Opening times are during term time. Please note these may change in the holidays depending on volunteer availability.

  • We take most things that can be reused for art and craft projects in some way.

  • The Scrapstore is located at

    Jarvis Brook Recreational Park
    Crowborough, TN6 2EG

    It is open to everyone. There is a free carpark nearby.

  • We accept a number of items including:

    badges, balloons, bangles, baskets, beads, bells, board game pieces, bows, braiding, bunting, buttons, canvases, card making supplies, cello bags, cellophane, children’s activity books: unused christmas decorations, clay: unopened, colouring books, corks, cotton reels, cracker gifts, craft kits, craft shapes, crayons, crepe paper, crochet hooks, crochet patterns, elastic, embellishments, embroidery thread, fabric, fastenings, feathers, felt, felt tip pens: unopened, gaffa tape, gardening tools, gift bags, gift boxes, gift tags, glue: unopened, haberdashery, hair accessories: unused, halloween decorations, hole punches, hooks, hoops, ink for ink stamps: unopened, ink stamps, insulating tape, ironing beads, jewellery findings, keys, knitting needles, knitting patterns, lace, leather, lego, maps, marbles, masking tape, tape measures, modelling clay: unopened, mosaic tiles, notebooks, notice boards, nuts and bolts, office stationary, packaging, paint: unopened, paint brushes, paper clips, paper samples, patches, patterned paper, pegs, pencils, pens, pipe cleaners, plain paper, plasticine, polymer clay: unopened, pom poms, ribbon, rulers, safety pins, sandpaper, scissors, screws, seeds,sequin waste, sequins, sewing equipment, sewing patterns, split pins, springs, stationery, stencils, stickers, sticky backed paper and plastic, sticky tape, storage boxes, straws, string, stuffing, textiles, thread, tissue paper, trims, velcro, vinyl, wire, wool, yarn, zips.

  • Anyone can come and visit the scrapstore even if you are not a member.

    You just need to make a monetary donation. For £30 a year and £50 for groups, you can enjoy full access to our Scrapstore, discounted workshops and exclusive community events – all while helping reduce waste and inspire creativity in Crowborough.

    You can sign up for annual membership here.