Optimism in the field of arts and health

Abstract

Serious economic austerity and cuts in public expenditure, high levels of unemployment, particularly among young people, and reductions in benefits - some of the factors challenging the living standards and sense of security and wellbeing of many people in the UK today. Added to which is the restructuring of health and social care services, which are still to settle into place with continued uncertainties over the effectiveness of local clinical commissioning arrangements and the shiftof public health functions to local authorities. These wider circumstances and concerns certainly represent a challenge to those of us committed to the idea that the creative arts have a role to play in promoting health and wellbeing and supporting health and social care. With money in short supply and concerns over how to navigate the new structures, it would be easy to feel pessimistic over the future of arts for health in the UK; but I think there are real reasons at the moment to feel some optimism. Firstly, there was the launch in late 2012 of a new National Alliance for Arts, Health and Wellbeing together with a national campaign 'Arts in Health: Improving Lives' to highlight the impact of arts interventions on health. This represents the culmination of two years work steered by Damian Hebron of the London Arts and Health Forum. Alex Coulter, chair of the National Alliance in launching the new campaign highlights the many examples of arts interventions achieving real benefits:Engaging in the arts and creativity has a demonstrable impact on individuals' wellbeing and health outcomes. Our case studies include examples of arts in health projects reducing reliance on G.P. consultation for those with depression, reducing the isolation of people with dementia who live in rural areas and coping with the trauma of illness and recovery following a stroke. This campaign is an opportunity to raise awareness of the impact of arts in health projects and to show that they are all connected and part of a movement that is growing all the time, in communities and countries across the world.1Secondly, there is the related development of a new UK Arts and Health Research Network coordinated by Professor Theo Stickley at Nottingham University. The network aims to bring together everyone directly involved in arts and health research and interested in the role of research in building a robust evidence base on what the arts have to offer in supporting and promoting health and wellbeing. The network has recently succeeded in securing funding from the Economic and Social Research Council to run a series of four seminars on arts and health research across the UK during 2013-2014. This initiative will make a positive contribution in developing the field and bringing the value of arts for health to the attention of policy makers and commissioners of health and social care services. …