As I write this from Falmouth, it feels that the holiday season has now arrived, with some sunny weather too! After lots of activity over the last 16 weeks, despite lockdown, I am looking forward to a quieter August, work-wise, before my office move in September.
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My first career was in teaching and despite leaving the profession more than 30 years ago, I still feel that September is the time for a new start, reinvigorated after a summer break. So as well as a new office, you can expect to see a new skills development programme in the autumn and some new events, projects and programmes that respond to the post-lockdown Covid -19 context.
This newsletter is briefer than usual, but contains links to some interesting and important events and an opportunity for you to shape the work of Arts Well moving forward.
I was delighted to see the Leader of Cornwall Council, Julian German, speaking at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts and Health webinar last week - you can find out more below. Also, don't forget the webinar hosted by the Network of Wellbeing tomorrow (Tuesday 21st July).
If you want to discuss anything in this newsletter, have information to share or just want to connect up, please get in touch.
Best wishes
Jayne
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Creativity for Health and Wellbeing Webinar - Tuesday 21st July, 7.30 p.m.
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This webinar, hosted by the Network of Wellbeing takes place on Tuesday 21st July at 7.30 p.m. After two short presentations from me and Geraldine Montgomerie from the Leeds Arts Health and Wellbeing Network, you will have the opportunity to join one of the practical breakout workshops, which include expressive and creative writing, mindful sketching, braid craft and mindful photography. You don't need to have had any experience and any materials required will easily be found at home. The event is free, but you will need to register and choose your preferred workshop - just click here.
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All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing
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The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Arts, Health and Wellbeing held a webinar on YouTube last week with a range of speakers talking about about the context of Covid-19 and how the arts and creativity have been used to support people during the crisis.
It was great to see Cllr Julian German highlighting the brilliant work that is happening in Cornwall both at a strategic and community level. The Local Government Association will be publishing a case study report on the role that cultural organisations have played in supporting people's health during lockdown - as soon as I have a link to that I will let you know.
The APPG also heard from Dr Daisy Fancourt, Associate Professor of Psychobiology & Epidemiology, UCL, lead on the UCL Covid study, on the findings of the study with regard to engagement with creative activities. She reported that 9 out of 10 people have engaged with the arts during lockdown, with 22% of adults saying that they have engaged more with the arts than they did before the crisis.
It also seems that people across socio-economic groups are engaging, including people experiencing significant hardship and those with mental health needs. One interesting finding is that with regard to mental health and wellbeing, the most protective factors were about engaging in creative activities. (The most damaging factor was exposure to the news!)
You can watch a recording of the whole APPG session here and read the reports from the UCL Covid study here.
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We're taking a break from our weekly Connect meetings due to other commitments for the next couple of weeks. We will have our next catch up on Wednesday 29th July from 3 - 4 and then take a break again for the whole of August.
You can register for 29th July Connect meeting here.
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Your views - a really quick survey
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Prior to Covid-19 we sent out a monthly newsletter and held a quarterly face-to-face networking meeting in the evening, usually either in Truro or Falmouth. During lockdown we've been sending out a weekly newsletter and running a weekly network/catch-up meeting using Zoom.
Many of you have commented how useful and helpful you have found these and as we have moved our network session online, it has opened up connections way beyond Cornwall.
As we move out of this lockdown and into new ways of interacting, we'd like to know how you would like us to communicate and connect in the future.
Please click here for a really short survey - it will only take you a minute, I promise - to inform our decisions.
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Arts Well: Grow - Future workshops
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Our skills development programme will start again in the Autumn. We are planning a blended programme of online workshops and some face to face sessions for smaller groups in our new office space.
Our current programme covers the following topics:
- Outcomes and evaluation
- Writing funding bids and applications
- Self-care for creative practitioners
- Social prescribing
- Delivering creative projects for mental health and wellbeing
- Creativity and dementia good practice
In the past we have also run workshops on:
- Introduction to arts, health and wellbeing - context and evidence
- Designing your arts and health intervention
What would you like to see in the programme? There will be a survey coming out soon, but if you have any ideas in the meantime, please email me.
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