A RECENT collaboration between Hobbycraft and the creative social enterprise Eazl CIC is raising funds to support the charity initiative, Art in a Box II.

The initiative invites celebrities to pick up a paintbrush and create a piece of artwork inspired by a song 'that lights the way out of the dark.' The completed pieces by all celebrities will be exhibited at the Hatch Gallery in Christchurch, Dorset, from Monday, January 27 to Saturday, February 1.

Some 25 artists have taken part this year, including Pete Doherty, KT Tunstall, Boy George and Danny Jones.

KT Tunstall has based her painting on So Far Away by Carole King. She says: "Being a touring musician, it is sometimes so hard to nurture your relationships with the people you love back home, especially if you have one special soulmate who isn’t with you. This song perfectly encapsulates that feeling for me, and has always said it best when I’m out on the road and feeling a little lonely."

After the exhibition, each of the artworks will be available to purchase in a dedicated auction, for which bids can be placed via charitystars.com/artinaboxii until Friday, February 28.

The project is raising funds for two charities: Together for Short Lives and the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).

Joel Pickering, marketing manager at Hobbycraft, commented: "We're incredibly proud to support the Art In A Box II charity initiative. Art is at the heart of our business, and our partnership with Eazl is a natural fit. Crafting has a positive effect on health and wellbeing, with painting being a popular pastime that helps to stimulate relaxation and a healthy mind – all the more reason to get behind a project that benefits two very deserving charities."

Together for Short Lives cares for the 49,000 seriously ill children across the UK, helping families make the most of every moment they have, while CALM is a leading movement against male suicide, and runs a free, confidential helpline and webchat open for seven hours, seven days a week. The organisation attempts to engage with people before they reach the point of crisis, and also provides support to those bereaved by suicide.

For more information about the initiative, visit eazl.co.uk/art-in-a-box-ii