The Arts, Health & Wellbeing bulletin highlights some important developments and opportunities to collaborate in this fast-moving field, both within the university and beyond.
In this month’s edition of the bulletin the need for an ‘oasis,’ both physical and emotional, and the reminder of the ongoing need to ease the sense of isolation are recurrent themes.
The Garden of Emotions, a physical and emotional oasis for students, is now open within an informal learning space on the ground floor of Science Gallery London at Guy’s Campus, King's College London whilst Paintings in Hospitals have launched OASIS, a pilot project created to ease social isolation and loneliness at home by connecting participants with art, creative activities, and communities of like-minded people.
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch), in partnership with King's College London, have announced the shortlist for the second Award for Civic Arts Organisations. Each arts organisation was chosen for its outstanding capacity to adapt to the pandemic and for how they have deepened their commitment to their communities over the past two years – another testament to the power of the arts to connect people and improve wellbeing.
New research by UCL and King's College London academics examines the role of cultural, community and natural assets in addressing societal and structural health inequalities.
Finally, Dr Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt from King's College London and Lord Howarth revisit some of the evidence referenced in Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing, the 2017 All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Arts Health and Wellbeing report, to consider more closely the relationship between arts engagement, flourishing, and health. | |
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The Garden of Emotions The Garden of Emotions, a physical and emotional oasis for students, is now open within an informal learning space on the ground floor of Science Gallery London at Guy’s Campus, King's College London. The pop-up space that promotes relaxation, mindfulness and calm, encourages students to reflect on self-care and wellbeing and is designed to provide emotional support and information. Art delivered to people’s homes to combat loneliness Paintings in Hospitals have launched OASIS, a pilot project created to ease social isolation and loneliness at home by connecting participants with art, creative activities, and communities of like-minded people. The project aims to place artworks directly into people’s homes and to enable eligible participants to make new social connections through a range of guided conversations and group activities. The project is delivered in partnership with Reconnections by Independent Age. 2.8 million minds Artist and mental health activist ‘the vacuum cleaner’ is working with Bernie Grant Arts Centre in Haringey and Chisenhale Gallery in Tower Hamlets to support young people in devising the Greater London Authority’s action plan for young people and mental health through art and culture. As part of creating the action plan, 2.8 million minds will ask organisations across the culture sector to join in the conversation on children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Find out more and register to be invited to a round-table event here. Research, Articles & Publications Research addressing societal and structural health inequalities New research by UCL and King's College London academics examines the role of cultural, community and natural assets in addressing societal and structural health inequalities. With growing recognition of the uneven distribution of life expectancy and of mental and physical health, the research was commissioned to identify future research priorities to address UK societal and structural health inequalities. Breathe Melodies for Mums ongoing research The in-person Breathe Melodies for Mums sessions is one of three arts-in-health inverventions the effectiveness and implementation of which is assessed by SHAPER (Scaling-up Health Arts Programmes), a £2million research programme funded by Wellcome and led by King's. The project aims to further build the case for singing groups as a standard treatment for postnatal depression (PND). The programme is inviting new mothers with babies from 0 – 9 months, who are experiencing symptoms of PND, to participate in the study. Resources, Funding & Events Arts Funding Competition The Violence, Abuse and Mental Health Network (VAMHN) have launched their Arts funding competition as part of their programme of activities and are looking for innovative artistic projects with the potential for outputs that generate new critical perspectives and inspire further discussion around violence, abuse, and mental health. The deadline for applications is 4 March 2022. | |
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King’s Arts, Health & Wellbeing Hub aims to bring together the many initiatives and achievements across the university and create a network of colleagues interested in research and education at the interface between arts and health.
Any feedback on this bulletin, or contributions for future editions, would be welcome.
To find out more about the Arts, Health & Wellbeing hub, feedback, suggest contributions or unsubscribe, please contact Nikki Crane, King’s Programme Lead for Arts, Health & Wellbeing via artshealthwellbeing@kcl.ac.uk |
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