Europe

The European Commission has announced a decline in cultural activity across the EU over the past five years with a “significant” decrease in the number of people actively involved in the arts. Highlighting the impact of the global financial crisis on arts activity, the Commission  notes: “It may be that citizens throughout the EU have sought to prioritise their spending and to narrow their focus in times of economic difficulty like focusing more on work-related activities”.

European cultural management network, ENCATC is hosting a day-long seminar to look at the employment opportunities and skills development of managers in arts and health. The seminar, which features as part of the organisation’s annual conference is entitled “Rethinking Education in Arts and Health - How to transform culture into wellbeing and employment: competences and skills required for future managers”. It will take place on Wednesday, 6 November in Antwerp, Belgium.

Bealtaine, Ireland’s annual festival to celebrate creativity as we age, takes place in venues around the country during May. The theme for the 2013 festival is ‘Grow Happy’. From dance to cinema, painting to theatre, Bealtaine aims to showcase the talents and creativity of both first-time and professional older artists.

Each year, Age & Opportunity invites local authorities, arts centres, libraries, Active Retirement groups, care settings, community groups and clubs, associations from every part of the country to run Bealtaine events that celebrate creativity as we age.

First Irish annual training for interpersonal and mentalization based creative arts therapies.

Aimed at Art Therapists, Dramatherapists, Music Therapists working in mental health settings

The objective of the ICAPT research based training series is to facilitate the relationship and knowledge between professionals involved in and interested in better understanding of and help for people who experience mental health difficulties.

Create, the development agency for collaborative arts, in tandem with Cowper Care, is seeking expressions of interest from artists with experience of working within the field of arts and health and arts and older people to engage with the context of dementia care in the creation of work for a Dublin based nursing home that provides care to older people.

This exhibition presents different perspectives on the experience of illness, from the candid self-portraits of Jo Spence during her cancer treatment to the tender and compassionate portraits of patients by Cecily Brennan, through to the tongue-in-cheek pharmaceuticals invented by Damien Hirst. The exhibition features supporting material from the Wellcome Collection and has been organised in association with the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, UCC.

Wexford County Council invites tenders from suitable, qualified and experienced individuals and/or companies to deliver Arts Ability services. Arts Ability is an inclusive, participatory arts programme which celebrates the artistic and creative imagination of people who experience mental health problems and/or intellectual, physical or sensory disabilities.