Creative Health Resources, Networks and Newsletters
Creativity and Wellbeing Week 2024 has just begun and we’ve put together some of our favourite resources, networks and newsletters for current and aspiring professionals working in Creative Health.
Image: Parklife Festival by Jo Burlington
What is Creative Health?
Creative Health is arts and culture activities and creative approaches to health that benefit our physical and/or mental health and wellbeing.
Creative Health can be delivered in homes, communities, Culture and Heritage organisations and healthcare settings, and it can help to prevent ill-health, promote healthy behaviours, and manage long-term conditions.
You can find out more in the National Centre for Creative Health’s ‘Introduction to Creative Health’ https://ncch.org.uk/uploads/Introduction-to-Creative-Health-Extract.pdf
You can find some of the brilliant Creative Health projects that happened in Dorset on our website https://www.theartsdevelopmentcompany.org.uk/whats-happening/creative-health-projects-spotlight
The Impact of Creative Health
The Impact of Creative Health is far reaching. In 2019, NHS England reported:
Music therapy has been found to reduce agitation and the need for medication in 67% of people with dementia.
The Government’s own analysis of its data on arts participation rates in England estimates that the total annual NHS cost savings due to reductions in GP visits is £168.8 million.
Source: Getting creative to change people’s lives, NHS England blog post, 2019
Creative Health Resources
Here are some Creative Health resources that could help organisations, individuals and communities to better understand what Creative Health is and how it works.
The Creative Health Review highlights the potential for creative health to help tackle pressing issues in health and social care and more widely. The Review has gathered evidence that shows the benefits of creative health in relation to major current challenges, and examples of where this is already working in practice
https://ncch.org.uk/creative-health-review
The Creative Health Toolkit aims to embed the benefits of creativity in all health and social care systems, from integrated care system planning to delivery by grass roots organisations. It will support commissioners, link workers and the voluntary community social enterprise sector to work collaboratively and deliver better health outcomes for communities and individuals.
https://www.creativehealthtoolkit.org.uk/
The Creative Health Quality Framework outlines what “good” looks like for creative and cultural initiatives that aim to support people’s health and wellbeing. It’s based around eight Creative Health Quality Principles. It offers clear guidance on how to use these principles to deliver safe and effective projects.
https://www.culturehealthandwellbeing.org.uk/resources/creative-health-quality-framework
Creative Health talks are available in our resources. In January we hosted a one day event with NHS Dorset that brought together some of the most current practice and thinking around Creative Health from the County and Country. You can watch all the talks from the day: https://www.theartsdevelopmentcompany.org.uk/resources/creative-health-talks
Creative Health Networks and Newsletters
We’ve rounded-up some of our favourite Creative Health Networks and Newsletters, to keep you updated with the sector and the jobs, opportunities and funding available:
Culture, Health & Wellbeing Alliance has a free membership for anyone with an interest in the relationship between creativity, culture, health and wellbeing. Members receive a monthly bulletin with the latest news in culture, health and wellbeing, as well as opportunities to network.
Join here: https://www.culturehealthandwellbeing.org.uk/who-we-are/about-alliance
Creative Health & Wellbeing Forum for Dorset is a new network set-up by our Creative Health Lead, Gemma Alldred.
Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1204549013566066
London Arts & Health newsletter includes Creative Health news, opportunities, funding, events and resources: https://londonartsandhealth.org.uk/news/newsletter/
The National Academy For Social Prescribing newsletter includes the latest Social Prescribing news, evidence and events: https://nasp.powerappsportals.com/newsletter-signup/
You can also sign-up to our newsletter for monthly round-ups of Dorset's cultural events, jobs, funding, networks and opportunities from us and the organisations we support, including Creative Health.