Paintings for Storytelling

Ever wondered what they were saying or thinking? Could you give it a better title?… Here is your chance to get creative and witty - curating your very own exhibition and story. Check out these paintings from the Croydon’s Art Collection and have some fun!

  1. Select a painting that you wish to create a story about and delve into your imagination! We will be posting a new one here every week.

  2. Submit your stories. Click the button below each painting to take you to a form where you can create a new title, speech and thoughts for each person and/or animal. You can write out your very own script or story! Note: You do not have to fill in all of the bubbles/captions in each painting.

  3. We will post our favourites into ‘speech bubbles’ and ‘thought bubbles’ on our online gallery (click the button below) and keep an eye on our Social Media!

  4. Don’t let the story stop there! Check out other activities you could do at home, at the bottom of this page.


Don’t let the story stop there!

Here are some more activities, for all ages:

  • Re-draw your version of the story, from comic strips to cartoons.

  • Make a model of your scene. Have any cardboard, shoe boxes or fabric spare - use these & be creative?

  • Dramatise and act our your story. Can you find similar objects or clothes in your house to act as props and costumes?

  • Find similar objects in the house and compare the present to the future. How much has changed?

  • Focus and develop one character. Who are they? What are they up to? What happens after this scene?

  • Are there other ways to interpret the story - music? dance?

Let us know what activities you enjoyed and any others you create by posting to our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or by emailing us at museum@croydon.gov.uk