Research

January 2020 marks a year of being in the role of Director for London Arts in Health. New Year is always a good time to reflect and look forward and so I thought I would round up some of what I have learnt a year in as well as what I am looking forward to.

A report from Australian independent think-tank A New Approach has added to the growing body of evidence that demonstrates the health benefits of arts and culture

King’s College London and UCL have launched the world’s largest ever study into the impact and scalability of arts interventions on physical and mental health

The University of Florida’s Center for Arts in Medicine and ArtPlace America has released the white paper, Creating Healthy Communities through Cross-sector Collaboration

Researchers at the University of Bristol are conducting research in order to better understand wellbeing and are seeking people to take part in an online questionnaire study. The researchers note that most attempts to measure wellbeing and quality of life involve very short and general scales that do not really provide a true picture of the richness and diversity of wellbeing.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released a fact sheet on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being in the WHO European Region, ahead of the launch of the Health Evidence Network (HEN) synthesis report on arts and health on 11 November. 

Move Dance Feel is a creative dance project for women recovering from or affected by cancer, including those who are supporting someone with cancer. The project was founded in 2016 to explore what participatory dance could offer in the context of cancer recovery and to address a recognised need for post-treatment support. They have just published really positive evaluation and research. 

Read more here 

The Economic and Social Research Council working with the What Works Well Centre for Wellbeing are offering up to £300,000 per project for six research projects that offer further insights surrounding the wellbeing of individuals and communities in the UK.

Arts Council England is collaborating with De Montfort University to track 100 children born in Leicester until they are 25 years old. The Talent25 programme will assess the ongoing impact of activities such as learning music, visiting museums, going to children’s festivals and watching theatre.

Read more

https://www.artsprofessional.co.uk/news/major-study-track-impact-creativ...

The MARCH Network is one of 8 new national networks funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as part of the 2018 Cross-Council Mental Health Plus call to further research into mental health.

MARCH focuses on social, cultural and community assets – which includes the arts, culture, heritage sites, libraries, green spaces, community centres, social clubs, community associations and volunteer groups – and the role they play in enhancing public mental health and wellbeing, preventing mental illness, and supporting those living with mental health conditions.