Responding to covid-19: Sharing stories from creative professionals across the UK

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A collage made as part of 'holidaying at home' with Make with Meg
Holidaying at Home! Created by Meg Clarke-Bagnall and Ramona Bigwood, and presented in association with Theatre Orchard, Spring 2020

The Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance, Arts Culture Health and Wellbeing Scotland, the Wales Arts, Health & Wellbeing Network and Arts Care (Northern Ireland) have come together as a partnership of organisations and networks across the UK to find ways to support the culture, health and wellbeing sector during covid-19 and beyond.

May 2020

Creative professionals have begun to weave their way through this crisis, to adapt and respond in a multitude of ways that comprehend the complexity of covid-19 and all its ramifications, but remain true to the generous principles and professionalism within socially engaged practice. We have asked five freelance creative professionals engaging with health and wellbeing from each nation to reflect on their responses. We encourage anyone who would like to join this process to send their reflections via this google form. You can watch us discussing these responses with some of the artists featured below on this webinar from 18 May 2020.

 

Creative practitioners' responses

Northern Ireland (Arts Care)

Arts Care is a progressive Arts and Health Organisation founded in 1991 and based in Northern Ireland. We deliver a wide range of Arts programmes and projects across all Health and Social Care Trusts. Arts Care believes in the benefits of creativity to well-being, making all forms of art accessible to patients, clients, residents and staff in health, social and community care.

Wales Arts Health & Wellbeing Network

WAHWN is the Wales Arts Health & Well-being Network, which represents 300+ arts and health professionals in Wales, funded by the Arts Council of Wales. WAHWN acts as a hub for networking, collaboration, dissemination and research.  Our mission is to build the capacity of the sector through training, building the evidence base and representing the sector at strategic level, including the Welsh Government Cross Party Group on Arts and Health.

Arts Culture Health and Wellbeing Scotland

Arts Culture Health and Wellbeing Scotland (ACHWS) is an active network providing information and support for anyone working across arts and culture, health and wellbeing in Scotland. The network is open for anyone to join, including artists, organisations, healthcare providers and researchers, and we take a broad understanding of both the arts and health.

Culture, Health & Wellbeing Alliance

CHWA is a national membership organisation, funded by Arts Council England to support everyone who believes that culture and creativity underpin our health and wellbeing.

logos for the four UK organisations: CHWA, WAHWN, ACHWS, and Arts Care