The APPG was formed in 2014 and is a cross party group of parliamentarians with a shared interest in the field of arts, health and wellbeing. The aim of the APPG is to raise awareness of the benefits that the arts can bring to health and wellbeing and to stimulate progress towards making these benefits a reality across the country.
Brief history of the APPG
The APPG was formed in 2014 as a cross party group of parliamentarians with a shared interest in the field of arts, health and wellbeing. The aim of the APPG has been to raise awareness of the benefits that the arts can bring to health and wellbeing and to stimulate progress towards making these benefits a reality across the country.
The APPG led a two-year inquiry 2015-17, which resulted in a report, Creative Health: The arts for health and wellbeing.
In 2022-2023, the APPG and the National Centre for Creative Health conducted a year-long review, chaired by Lord Howarth of Newport and informed by a panel of esteemed commissioners, including parliamentarians and leaders in public life, healthcare and culture. In December 2023 the Creative Health Review: How Policy Can Embrace Creative Health was published. Find out about the review themes, the Lived Experience advisory group and creative responses here: https://ncch.org.uk/creative-health-review
In April 2024, APPG rules changed and APPGs now need to organise an EGM and elect new Officers. When a General Election is called all APPGs are dissolved. The date of the next General Election is now confirmed as 4 July 2024. In the light of the rule changes, the APPG on Arts, Health and Wellbeing has decided to disband at the end of March and re-form following the election.
An APPG Income and Expenditure statement for 2023 can be viewed here.
The previous APPG AGM was held on 23rd January 2023 when the following Officers were elected:
- Chair and Registered Contact: Tracey Crouch MP
- Co-Chair: Lord Howarth of Newport
- Vice-Chair: Rachel Hopkins MP
- Vice-Chair: Baroness Meacher
- Vice-Chair: Baroness Morgan of Cotes
- Treasurer: Baroness Andrews
The minutes of the meeting can be downloaded here.
If you know that your constituency MP is interested in this area of work, please let us know at appgahw@gmail.com.
The National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH) has data processing responsibility for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing.
This is not an official website [or feed] of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It has not been approved by either House or its committees. All-Party Parliamentary Groups are informal groups of Members of both Houses with a common interest in particular issues. The views expressed in these webpages are those of the group.
If you know that your constituency MP is interested in this area of work, please let us know at appgahw@gmail.com.
The Terms of Reference of the APPG can be downloaded here. Papers related to AGMs, financial statements and minutes can be accessed here.
The APPG holds no funds itself. All APPG finances are managed by AHSW and governance oversight is provided by the Board of Trustees of AHSW.
You can read the Annual Report here and the minutes of the AGM here.
For further information on the APPG please contact Alex Coulter: appgahw@gmail.com
2015-2017 Inquiry and Creative Health report
From 2015-2017, the APPG conducted an Inquiry into practice and research in the arts in health and social care with a view to making recommendations to improve policy and practice. As part of the Inquiry, the APPG hosted a series of 16 round tables, in which parliamentarians, practitioners, academics, commissioners, managers and people with lived experience came together to discuss specific themes relating to arts, health and wellbeing.
The Inquiry report, Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing, was published in July 2017. The APPG continues to work towards the implementation of the ten recommendations in the Creative Health report. The Haygarth Lecture by Lord Howarth of Newport gives a useful overview. You can download Lord Howarth’s Haygarth Lecture, Dancing to a Different Tune: The Contribution of Arts to Health, delivered at Chester University on 16th November 2017.
