Developing and researching arts in health interventions at King’s
The seminar on 17 March 2021, 12:30-14:00 will introduce the SHAPER programme to a wider King’s audience, setting out the intention to build King’s reputation as a major contributor in the arts, health and wellbeing arena and inviting collaboration from interested academics and those working with the arts from a multitude of disciplines for future arts and health initiatives. It will also discuss the challenges brought on by Covid-19 and the adaptations this has instigated in delivery and research programmes.
Covid monologues: bringing scientific research up on stage
King’s Covid research has helped to inspire Covid monologues, devised through a unique collaboration between public health researchers and theatre professionals in the United States. The playwright was tasked with communicating the impact of Covid-19 on healthcare workers using research including from King’s Professor Neil Greenberg. His work will be cited as references on the credits for the performance.
Launch of the National Centre for Creative Health
The National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH) will launch with an online event on 9 March 2021 at 14:00. The Centre will advance good practice and research, inform policy and promote collaboration, helping foster the conditions for creative health to be integral to health and social care and wider systems.
Clod Ensemble launch Performing Medicine
Performing Medicine provides courses, workshops and events, which draw on techniques and ideas in the arts to provide training to medical students and healthcare professionals, focusing on staff wellbeing, compassionate care and effective communication. Performing Medicine is a Clod Ensemble initiative founded by Dr. Suzy Willson and run by a small, dynamic team, including a group of trailblazing Associate Artists.
English National Opera launch ENO Breathe
ENO Breathe is a breathing and wellbeing programme developed specifically for people recovering from Covid-19, who are still suffering from breathlessness and associated anxiety. Delivered by ENO in collaboration with Imperial College Healthcare teams entirely online, the programme focuses on breathing re-training through singing.
One Cell at a Time
One Cell at a Time asks artists across artforms to explore the idea of ‘normality.’ Ten artists across four English cities will create artworks and immersive installations inspired by the work of an international research project, the Human Cell Atlas, which aims to map the trillions of cells in the human body.
Research, Articles & Publications
UCL launch a new MASc in Creative Health
The MASc in Creative Health will create a new generation of socially engaged scholars and practitioners to meet the needs of a changing health, social care and voluntary third sector, where personalised care, health inequity and the patient experience are mainstreamed into public health. This programme is the first of its kind in the world, both in terms of the qualification (Masters in Arts & Sciences) and the academic field of study (Creative Health).
The wellbeing benefits of theatre attendance later in life
This CultureCase article looks at the impact of theatre attendance on the wellbeing of a group of Americans aged 60 and over. The researchers found that attending live theatre ‘may contribute significantly to living well in the latter decades of life’. They used a detailed survey to untangle the various factors that led to increased wellbeing.
Resources, Funding & Events
Sonic Support Group
Sonic Support Group is an interdisciplinary collaboration seeking to release the innate therapeutic potential within certain art exhibitions for frontline workers. The project is a joint initiative between Neurofringe, a platform for projects and dialogues between neurosciences, art, and society, and the London based artist Abbas Zahedi.
Open Ground: Music Therapy in Collaboration & Exchange
The British Association for Music Therapy has announced that it will now host its conference online in April 2021. Originally due to take place at Queen’s University in Belfast in 2020, the organising committee hope that as many of the 2020 presenters as possible will be able to participate in the 2021 conference.
Health at Hand by Scottish Ballet
Scottish Ballet has launched Health at Hand, a programme of movement and breath sessions for NHS and social care staff. Each 10-minute movement and breath session is designed to address physical and mental health and is accompanied by specially created music.
Hyper Functional / Ultra Healthy at Somerset House
Somerset House Studios launches Hyper Functional, Ultra Healthy, a series of new commissions, films, workshops, and conversations considering our individual health and collective wellbeing by exploring societal and ecological issues that affect both people and planet.
