Antony Gormley and Grayson Perry share lockdown ideas

The sculptor Sir Antony Gormley has suggested three designs for making paper chains as an isolation activity

PA Media Sir Antony Gormley, stood next to his work — The sculptor Sir Antony Gormley has suggested three designs for making paper chains as an isolation activity

Artists including Sir Antony Gormley, Grayson Perry and Jeremy Deller have shared ideas for activities during the coronavirus lockdown.

The ideas are being put together by art gallery Firstsite in Colchester, Essex, so people can join make art at home.

Activities include paper chain designs from Sir Antony and a toilet paper poetry competition from Jeremy Deller.

The first pack, called Art is Where the Home is, should be available online from Wednesday.

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Sally Shaw, director of Firstsite, said the idea had been inspired by an activity book her mother gave her when she was a child.

"All the ideas were things you could do with paper, some string or glue if you were lucky - it was an amazing thing and would keep me occupied for hours and hours," she said.

"We are an art gallery so I asked the artists we had worked with in the past and have relationships to suggest ideas.

"The first person I asked was Antony [Gormley] and he wrote straight back in half an hour."

The Firstsite gallery in Colchester has contacted artists for its isolation activity ideas

Exterior of the firstsite visual arts centre in Colchester — The Firstsite gallery in Colchester has contacted artists for its isolation activity ideas

Other activities include a series of drawings from Annie Morris for people to colour in at home and a challenge to draw your own hand and display it in order to wave to others, suggested by Mark Wallinger.

Mrs Shaw said 4,000 people had expressed an interested in getting a pack.

She said: "We want to show people that being creative is important and that it can be just as necessary as eating a good meal or going to the gym at times like this."

It is hoped further packs will be created with more artists invited to contribute their ideas.