On December 18, Grays Shopping Centre hosted Winter Welcome, a community celebration produced by Thurrock-based arts organization Together Productions in collaboration with Welcome to the UK. The event featured visual arts activities, a 'Creating Home' art exhibition by the Together Create Visual Arts Collective with artists Marsha Ashley and Salina Jane, participatory singing led by Ashley Beauchamp and Thames Opera Company, and food prepared by Welcome to the UK community members. Thurrock's Deputy Mayor Cllr Steve Liddiard attended, and shoppers enjoyed a pop-up performance.
This event matters because it demonstrates how grassroots arts programming can foster community cohesion and belonging in a local context. Winter Welcome is part of Together Create, a program supported by the National Lottery Community Fund that brings people together across Thurrock through art and song, highlighting the role of small-scale, participatory arts initiatives in building social connections and celebrating diversity. The program will expand in 2026 with weekly sessions open to all ages.