Mapping of Initiatives on Culture, Health and Well-being

In 2020, following the Partnership Agreement signed with P28 - Association for Creative and Artistic Development, the Directorate-General for the Arts opened the Partnership Support Program - Art and Mental Health, whose main objective was to stimulate the development of artistic projects, such as a way to combat discrimination and stigma associated with mental illness. The support line, which corresponded to an investment worth 300 thousand Euros, aimed to create synergies that contribute to overcoming the challenges currently faced by the mental health area in Portugal, through the arts. In a period drastically affected by the pandemic, culture and art became instruments that could raise awareness of mental health and be acknowledged for their positive impact on individual and collective well-being.

Oxford Hospitals Charity helps to transform care - funding the best medical equipment, research, training and facilities for our patients and staff. The Oxford Hospitals Charity Arts and Music Programme creates a more welcoming, calm and attractive hospital environment, engaging patients and visitors in creative projects as well as providing a more positive working space for staff. During the corona crisis the arts community has shown its support for the hospitals affiliated to the Oxford Hospitals Charity with incredible auctions of paintings, prints and ceramics and a very special print from Adam Dant celebrating the life of Florence Nightingale. They use the visual arts, performance, music and literature to improve our hospital environments, reduce stress and anxiety for those visiting and reduce boredom for those in hospital. Creative projects with patients alleviate boredom and depression, and a positive and uplifting environment can do much to improve wellbeing and distract, engage and bring pleasure to patients, visitors and staff.

Artscape is an innovative arts project at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. Artscape aims to provide opportunities for mental health service users, their carers and trust staff to engage with the arts. Artscape works in wards and the community, across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, supporting groups and individuals to access the arts. Artscape supports the recovery of service users and helps them to develop their own artistic practice. Working in partnership with arts organisations across the county, Artscape runs an exhibitions programme and commissions new work to be displayed in hospitals. Artscape is supported by Oxford Health Charity. Artscape engaged seven artists to work with the young people, staff and teachers, to create unique artworks for the units. Artworks include two stained glass windows (pictured), a decorative floor in the reception and photographs for the rooms.

For over 20 years, Music for Autism has provided a programme of accessible workshops delivered in special schools and designed specifically for young people with autism. OSJ Music for Autism engages with over 6,000 young people each year, and is offered entirely free of charge to participating schools. Young people with autism, prefer to move when listening to music, perhaps dancing or responding physically to the music, vocalizing and considering this their access to live classical music is sometimes limited. Two or three times a week, through the year, small groups of members of the orchestra go into special schools, where many young people with autism are educated, and give short concerts to groups of students. They do so with the same professionalism and quality of performance as they produce for any other audience. The important difference is that the students can respond to the music exactly as they wish. Visits by OSJ musicians mean that young people with autism can have similar access to the experience of live classical music as those of their peers who can meet the behavioural expectations of formal concert attendance. Due to various degrees of lockdown, MfA has continued unabated, taking live music to children and schools remotely through Zoom.

Odd Arts specialise in delivering work around mental health, as well as the wider health sector. We work in partnership with Mental Health Services, GPs, Clinical Commissioning Groups and Hospitals using theatre to improve mental health and wellbeing and to reduce conflict and inequalities. One of their project is BROAD - Building Resilience and Overcoming Adversity through Dance & Drama. This programme is an innovative, evidence based theatre programme that is designed to increase resilience & well-being in people in custody, secure settings and hospitals / mental health units. It is a ground-breaking programme culminating physical theatre, drama, dance & psychology. BROAD has been co-designed by Company Chameleon and Odd Arts and is being evaluated by UCLAN Psychosocial Research Unit adding to the national evidence base of the impact of arts in criminal justice or secure settings. The pilot was funded by the Arts Council England.

Odd Arts specialise in delivering work around mental health, as well as the wider health sector. They work in partnership with Mental Health Services, GPs, Clinical Commissioning Groups and Hospitals using theatre to improve mental health and well-being and to reduce conflict and inequalities. One of their project is the award winning interactive forum theatre workshop A Spiralling Mind. This particular performance focuses on mental health, anxiety, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, self-harm and the negative effects of social media. The workshop involves interactive debate and discussion exercises and engagement with the actors in performance in order to search for solutions. There is a post-performance discussion to explore triggers, warning signs and vulnerabilities and signposting to available support services.

Odd Arts specialise in delivering work around mental health, as well as the wider health sector. We work in partnership with Mental Health Services, GPs, Clinical Commissioning Groups and Hospitals using theatre to improve mental health and wellbeing and to reduce conflict and inequalities. One of their project is Wellbeing Theatre Programme – for mental health service users and people vulnerable to poor mental health. They work with the participants to devise theatre from their own experiences. This is developed by involving them in games, discussion, role-play, mime and image theatre. The workshops enable them to explore their feelings and experiences and the challenges or ‘oppressions’ they face. They explore alternative solutions to problems and barriers through role-play and discussion and support people to reflect on their own personal challenges in a safe way. All our projects culminate in a performance back to staff, peers and/or family members. Throughout their paid courses they accredit participants with ASDAN awards in relevant life skills such as Independent living, Leadership and Expressive Arts.

Novus are creating foundations for change through prison education and for almost 30 years they have been helping men, women and children of all ages and abilities, in prison settings across England and Wales, to take new directions. Novus proposed innovative arts and family enrichment programmes in order to support children to develop positive relationships, strengthening bonds with family, friends and significant others. The programmes help them to grow in self-knowledge and self-confidence, improve interpersonal skills and support inclusivity and wellbeing. Importantly, they provide a positive and enjoyable learning experience that can help engage children with education. Since 2017, Novus has been collaborating with Tate Liverpool as part of their family learning programme. The Tate learning programmes encompass events and activities that reflect the diversity of the communities we live in, and give us the opportunity to explore the role that art plays in society, and what positive contribution it can make. Together with Tate Liverpool theyr are co-creating projects that invite children to respond to a creative challenge using Tate collection displays and exhibitions for inspiration. They are developing skills and experience in the arts, as well as opportunities for pathways into creative careers.

Musical Moments provides stimulating and interactive musical activities for your care setting, community group or individuals at home. They worked with over a thousand care homes across the UK providing a unique and engaging activity with sessions that include live music performed by musicians, safe and appropriate exercise and movement to music, interactive music activities with sensory props, the opportunity to sing and perform with instruments and reminiscence to music in a carefully structured yet flexible activity. Musical Moments are specialized in activities for older people living with dementia and adults with additional needs.

Music in Hospitals & Care is a charity that improves the health and wellbeing of children and adults through the healing power of live music. They share live music to improve people’s mental health and wellbeing in hospitals, specialist units and community services. The award-winning Lullaby Hour initiative proposed by Music in Hospitals & Care offers babies, children and their parents or carers the chance to experience special moments and memories together. The Lullaby Hour professional musicians create special moments and memories for families in hospital wards, neonatal units and hospices.