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Creative Health and Wellbeing

Creative Health and Wellbeing

Creative Health and Wellbeing is a strategy detailing how we’ll work within health and social care, and how we’ll promote collaborations between organisations and practitioners in the creative and health sectors. 

Creative Health & Wellbeing cover image
Photo by Creative Health & Wellbeing cover image
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What the research says

What the research says

Take a look at the evidence we’ve pulled together that shows art and culture is good for us.

An image of a woman looking at art hung on a wall.
Photo by Photo © Manchester Museum, University of Manchester, Andy Ford and the Whitworth Art Gallery.
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Culture Shots - taking museum objects into our hospitals.
An image of two women, sat down and dancing with their arms up in the air.
Photo by Photo © Anthony Robling
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Singing session for people living with dementia.

Social Prescribing

Social Prescribing

We’re a founding member of the National Academy for Social Prescribing. An independent charity that will lead the development of social prescribing across England to help arts and culture play an important role in community healthcare.

A nurse sits with a mother and her child.
Photo by Hamworth Library. Photo © Michael Cameron Photography
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Hamworth Library. Photo © Michael Cameron Photography
A woman and man dance, arms wrapped around one another. The man is wearing a knitted hat and the woman has her hair tied up in a bobble.
Photo by Dance to Health. Image © Aesop Arts & Society, @AesopHealth
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Dance to Health. Image © Aesop Arts & Society, @AesopHealth

Support for the sector

Support for the sector

Find out more about our Investment Principles Support Organisations (IPSOs) supporting organisations and practitioners working in Creative Health. 

On our Blog

Blog category
  • Blog post

Live well, feel better - be creative

By Hollie Smith-Charles, 17 May 2023

Celebrating Creativity and Wellbeing Week and the positive impact that creativity and culture has on our health.  

Three people stand in a line in a field dancing under a grey sky
Photo by Joie De Vivre, Pavilion Dance South West. Photo by Kevin Clifford
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Blog category
  • Blog post

Creating Connection

By John McMahon, 17 June 2021, 5 minute read

It’s Loneliness Awareness Week, and as we reach 15 months since the initial coronavirus lockdown in the UK, the subject can seldom have been more pertinent. For many, separation has been a defining characteristic of this period – as we’ve all been largely confined to our homes, prevented from seeing wider family and friends by our desire to protect each other. Many of our shared social spaces, including arts venues, museums and libraries as well as pubs, clubs, restaurants and beyond, have been closed or heavily restricted. Even those of us who’ve continued to attend workplaces physically rather than digitally have been unable to engage with colleagues or clients as we would have in the past.

Young girl enjoys painting through the Let's Create packs summer project.
Photo by Lets Create packs summer project © Wayne Pilgrim.
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Blog category
  • Blog post

Getting creative with our wellbeing

By John McMahon, 20 May 2021, 5 minute read

For Creativity and Wellbeing Week, our arts and health lead John McMahon interviews Victoria Hume, Director of the Culture, Health & Wellbeing Alliance.

Two people smile at each other as they appear to begin to dance together in an open space.
Photo by Dance Umbrella – Fairfield Takeover. Photo: @ Camilla Greenwood
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Blog category
  • Blog post

Dance: The Game-Changer

By Kevin Edward Turner, 18 April 2016

Kevin Edward Turner is co-Artistic Director of Company Chameleon, a Manchester-based dance theatre company funded by Arts Council England. Here, he shares his perspective on the importance of dance to the health and wellbeing of young people, and reflects on his own experiences as a dancer and a teacher.

Kevin stands with a young boy lying across his shoulders

Download the GIF's

Art and culture is good for you - spread the word!

From arts on prescription to finding your emotional outlet, use our GIFs to share your story and help us say it loud and proud: art and culture is good for your health and wellbeing.