At Cygnets, we’re proud to have a growing network of branches across the UK – each led by passionate people who believe in the power of art to inspire, empower, and build confidence in children. In our new series, we’re excited to introduce the wonderful individuals behind our studios. First up, meet Rania and Simon, the duo behind Cygnets Notting Hill, which launched over two years ago, as they share the inspiring community they’ve built and what they’ve discovered along their journey with Cygnets.
Q: What was it that first attracted you to joining Cygnets?
R: So, Cygnets popped up when I was teaching full-time – 25 years of teaching art. I trained Simon as my teaching assistant, and then he became an art teacher too. Then it was COVID and Cygnets popped up on our social media and I turned around to Simon and said, “What do you think?”. So we contacted Lynsey, who was really lovely. But I thought, “I’m still in full-time employment, it’s not going to happen.” So we just pushed it under the rug for a little bit. But it kept popping up, and Simon pushed it through. Eventually, we both decided to take the plunge of going part-time alongside our other jobs. It just worked out really well – probably the best thing we did.
Q: What is the best part of your day when running a Cygnets class?
S: The best part of my day is running the classes and seeing the awesome community we’ve built; seeing the children’s smiling faces when they come to class, and all their enjoyment and excitement.
R: We’ve had lots of kids in all sorts of situations. Simon works in special educational needs and I have experience there too, so we get a lot of kids with behavioural issues. We’ve built a community here and it’s an intellectually safe environment for them. They can express themselves, they’re happy, and they make friendships – it’s really cool to see. We’ve even helped some kids, who lost their school places, reconnect and get back into school. We’re in touch with the families constantly. Some even travel here from outside Notting Hill because they like us so much. It’s worked out really well, and we’ve grown a really beautiful community. We’re really lucky.
Q: What have you learned about yourself since joining?
R: Simon’s really organised and good with numbers! He does the emails and admin, and he’s also a great teacher. It’s really nice to break the projects down for students, differentiating them for different students, and making sure everyone leaves happy. We’re always talking to the kids about the process and developing their skills. The kids see it – one girl got into the Royal Academy Summer Show recently, and others have won awards at school, and they tell us it’s because of Cygnets. It’s really lovely to see that.
Q: What would you say to anyone thinking about starting their own Cygnets franchise?
R: Yes, take the leap! There are huge cuts affecting art education. Art is so important for kids’ mental health and self-regulation. Cygnet offers that, and we are skills-based and have so many interesting projects that you notice the change in kids’ behaviour, and you see how important art is to them. It’s been a journey for both of us, and we’ve learnt that we can run this alongside our other jobs. We’re still learning, but it’s been great fun – and we haven’t wanted to kill each other yet! We make a good team.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
R: On a beach with a cocktail! We want to grow but we’re balancing it with other jobs at the moment. You have to be flexible, redesign, and go back to the drawing board. We want to make Cygnets more consistent and balance it more with our other jobs. It’s a challenge, but we’ll make it happen.
Q: What’s been your highlight of the last two years?
A: The community. The people we’ve met, the people we’ve been able to help. It’s about growing the art community and giving back. So many wonderful things have happened from that. We like to give – a lot of chocolate and little gifts, celebrating all the different faiths and traditions in our group. Inclusion and diversity are so important; everyone shares and accepts one another. That’s vital for us.
