Creative Health Stories

Hollie McNish on poetry, politics and wellbeing

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 09:26:36 GMT

In this conversation, Laura and award winning poet and performer Hollie McNish explore the profound connection between creativity, poetry, humour and wellbeing. They discuss the nature of creativity, the journey to becoming a poet, and the impact of poetry on mental health. Hollie shares her insights on the intersection of personal and political themes in her work, the importance of community in fostering creativity, and the role of humor in addressing serious issues. They also touch on the value of everyday creativity and the challenges faced in arts funding and accessibility. The conversation concludes with advice for aspiring creatives and reflections on the transformative power of art in people's lives. Listen to the end to hear Hollie reading from her new book Virgin.

A thoughtful and candid discussion about permission, persistence and the power of everyday creativity in public life.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Welcome and introduction to Hollie McNish's work and themes

02:00 - Childhood creativity and societal labels on arts and talent

05:00 - The importance of creative health in education and everyday life

08:00 - Personal stories and how poetry helps process grief, joy, and anger

12:00 - The journey from hobbyist to professional poet and challenges faced

15:00 - Using poetry as social commentary on societal issues like misogyny and xenophobia

20:00 - How writing about personal and political topics serves emotional and societal healing

25:00 - Explaining how poetry addresses feelings and personal experiences

30:00 - The role of humor and satire in tackling serious societal issues

35:00 - The political significance of content around topics like virginity, sex education, and menopause

40:00 - Community arts, policy challenges, and funding cuts: what's needed to improve access

45:00 - Encouraging people to find their creative outlets and access arts for health

50:00 - The cultural and economic benefits of national and international arts funding schemes

55:00 - Final thoughts on the power of everyday creativity and its impact on health and society

Resources & Links:

Hollie McNish's website

Virgin by Hollie McNish

Maternal Journal - support for new mothers

Professor Sir Michael Marmot's work on social determinants of health

Pride (Film about activism and community)

Social Media:

Hollie on Instagram

Creative Health Stories on Instagram

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Why Movement Matters: Rambert’s Early Moves Programme in Greater Manchester

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 10:01:21 GMT

In this commissioned episode of Creative Health Stories, host Laura Bailey explores an innovative initiative that brings professional dance and movement training into early years education. Early Moves is a partnership programme from Rambert Dance Company, Rambert Grades, and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) which trains nursery practitioners to embed creative movement into daily practice. Designed to support children from 0–5 years, this pioneering project uses dance to enhance physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development, contributing to school readiness and workforce wellbeing at scale.

Early Moves has been made possible through support from Arts Council England's National Lottery funded Place Partnership Fund, with additional support from the Granada Foundation and GMCA.

Key Themes

Movement as Development: Early movement isn’t just physical play — it’s tied to brain development, communication, balance, emotional regulation, and self-expression.

Empowering Practitioners: Nursery practitioners with little or no dance experience are trained to lead creative movement sessions confidently, enhancing their professional skills, wellbeing, and job satisfaction.

Real-world Impact: Practitioners share stories about boosts in children’s confidence, listening skills, social interaction, language development, and engagement, especially for those who are shy or have additional needs.

Strategic Partnership: Greater Manchester’s early years leaders invested in the programme to tackle low school readiness rates, particularly in more deprived areas, through a creative and holistic approach.

Voices from the Episode

Daniel Fulvio, Director of Community Partnerships, Rambert

Hannah Kidd, Head of Education & Examinations, Rambert Grades

Chloe Senior, Early Years Dance Specialist

Anna Daley and Anne O’Connor, Evaluators, Primed for Life

Miriam Loxham, Senior Principal for Early Years and Faily Help, Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Julie McCarthy, Strategic Lead for Creative Health, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and NHS Greater Manchester

Early Years Practitioners: Pamela (Dream Big Little One), Sharon (St. Vincent’s), Holly (Safari Kindergarten), Tiffany (Clayton Tiddlywinks), Niamh (Buttercup Corner).

Organisation Links

Rambert Dance Company

Website https://rambert.org.uk/

Instagram: @rambertdance

Rambert Grades

Website: https://www.rambertgrades.com/

Instagram: @rambertgrades

Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Website: https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk

Instagram: @greatermcr

Arts Council England

https://www.artscouncil.org.uk

Instagram: @aceagrams

Granada Foundation

Website: https://granadafoundation.org/

Image by Jack Thomson @j_a_c_k__t_h_o_m_s_o_n

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Charcoal, Compulsion and Creative Recovery with Artist Liz Atkin

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 07:40:39 GMT

This episode of Creative Health Stories is a little different. Host Laura Bailey takes the podcast outdoors to the Whitstable seafront for a conversation with artist Liz Atkin.

Liz shares her lived experience of dermatillomania (compulsive skin picking disorder) and how charcoal drawing became both a recovery tool and a powerful creative practice. Together they explore how creativity can transform personal health and support others in clinical and community settings.

It’s a candid and inspiring conversation about vulnerability, play, and the therapeutic potential of creativity.

Key Points:

Liz’s journey from theatre and dance to charcoal drawing.
Using creativity to refocus compulsion and anxiety.
The role of play and flow in improving wellbeing.
Workshops with NHS staff and the importance of creative breaks.
How creative health programmes face challenges in the current NHS context.

Links:

Liz Atkin: lizatkin.com
Breathe Arts Health Research: breatheahr.org
Horsebridge Arts Centre, Whitstable: horsebridge.org.uk

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The healing power of singing for mothers with Kate Valentine

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 06:44:02 GMT

In this conversation, Laura and Kate Valentine explore the transformative power of singing for mothers through the Singing Mamas programme. Kate shares her journey from nursing to leading community singing sessions, emphasising the emotional and mental health benefits of singing. They discuss the integration of creative health into the NHS, the challenges of funding, and the importance of community support. The conversation highlights how singing can foster connection, healing, and confidence among mothers, ultimately advocating for a shift in how health professionals view and utilise creative practices in healthcare.

Takeaways:

Singing together creates a sense of community and belonging.

The act of singing can significantly improve mental health.

Mothers often struggle with mental health, and singing provides support.

Creative health initiatives can be integrated into the NHS.

Funding for community singing programs is often inconsistent.

Singing helps build confidence in one's voice and expression.

Community leaders play a crucial role in promoting wellbeing.

Singing can be a powerful tool for emotional processing.

The benefits of singing extend beyond the individual to the community.

Creative practices are essential for the resilience of health professionals.

Links:

Singing Mamas CIC

Socials:

Singing_Mamas_Org

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Sarah Ticho on immersive technology in health care

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 08:49:32 GMT

In this episode of Creative Health Stories, host Laura Bailey speaks with Sarah Ticho, a multidisciplinary artist and entrepreneur, about her journey into immersive technology and its applications in health and wellbeing. They discuss the various forms of immersive technology, including XR, VR, AR, and MR, and how these technologies can be used therapeutically in areas such as pain management, mental health, and community building. Sarah shares her experiences with her project Soul Paint, which aims to help individuals express their emotions through immersive art. The conversation also touches on the challenges of funding, the need for diversity in the field, and the importance of creating inclusive spaces for all.

Takeaways:

Immersive technology can serve as a bridge for discussing difficult topics like grief.
XR has significant applications in pain management and mental health treatment.
Funding for XR projects is often challenging due to a perceived lack of evidence and insufficient infrastructure.
Diversity and inclusion are critical in the development of XR technologies.
Community building through VR can help combat isolation and foster connections.
Soul Paint is an immersive experience designed to help individuals explore their emotions.
The process of creating immersive art involves collaboration across various disciplines.
There is a need for new roles and infrastructure in healthcare to support XR initiatives.
The potential of XR in healthcare is vast, but it requires more recognition and support.

Links:

We Met in Virtual Reality

Quad Gods

The Growing Value of XR in Healthcare in the UK report

Socials:

Soul Paint Instagram

Sarah on Instagram

Sarah on LinkedIn

Creative Health Stories Instagram

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Thahmina Begum on community art psychotherapy, equity and racial trauma

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 14:59:41 GMT

In this episode host Laura Bailey is joined by artist, researcher, art psychotherapist and community leader Thahmina Begum. Based in Leeds, Thahmina shares her extraordinary 20+ year journey at the intersection of creative health, art therapy and community development, rooted in her Bangladeshi heritage and unwavering commitment to social justice and health equity.

From the early influence of youth clubs and play schemes in Leeds, to art therapy programmes that address racial and intergenerational trauma, Thahmina’s work spans psychiatric wards, schools, community centres and galleries. She reflects on her personal story of resilience and the power of art to create safe, transformative spaces for people from underrepresented communities.

She also discusses the importance of trauma-informed practice, the ethics of care for artists and practitioners, and the urgent need for leadership, infrastructure and investment to sustain a creative health workforce. With infectious warmth and clarity, Thahmina offers a vision for an equitable future where art is embedded across health services—from GP surgeries to national institutions.

Links:

Creative Health Stories

Culture, Health & Wellbeing Alliance (CHWA) – Thahmina is Co-Chair

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

British Library

British Council

The Tetley / Yorkshire Contemporary

Yorkshire Sculpture International

Leeds Art Gallery

Henry Moore Institute

Barbara Hepworth Wakefield

Leeds City Museum

Up Projects – Thahmina is a Trustee

Lab4Living

Creative Health Boards

Global South Arts and Health Week

Socials:

@artbyfudgee

@creativehealthstories

Get Involved:

If you’d like to use audio stories in your work, or explore collaborations, visit our website and get in touch.

💬 Rate, review and subscribe to help others discover Creative Health Stories.

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Tony Cealy on improvisation and the power of play

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 07:51:41 GMT

In this rich and energising conversation, host Laura Bailey speaks with Tony Cealy, an acclaimed theatre practitioner and cultural producer, about the transformative power of drama, improvisation, and play in community and justice settings. Tony shares how he moved from an initial career in accountancy to working with some of society’s most marginalized groups through creative and participatory theatre.

We explore how Tony uses forum theatre, psychodrama, and improvisation to promote behavioural change, community empowerment, and policy advocacy. From working in prisons to shaping health systems, Tony's work challenges injustice, champions unheard voices, and inspires change from the ground up.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing Creative Health Stories — it really helps others discover the podcast.

Links:

Tony Cealy’s website

Theatre of the Oppressed

Cardboard Citizens

Socials:

@tonycealy

Tony's LinkedIn

@creativehealthstories

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Dan Hopewell on activism, art and social prescribing

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 08:00:12 GMT

Dan Hopewell is a lifelong advocate for social justice and community empowerment, whose work spans international public art, grassroots activism, and pioneering community-led health models that integrate creative health.

In this episode we have a rich conversation about Dan's life, work, and philosophy around community, creativity, and health. He discusses his early belief in social justice and activism and the 15 years he spent in Nicaragua developing community-based public art, which led to education reform and built a legacy that continues today. Upon returning to the UK, Dan joined Bromley by Bow Centre, where he contributed to the development of its arts and community programs. He talks through the Centre’s evolution from a dilapidated church into a pioneering, thriving community hub reversing traditional top-down approaches, integrating arts, employment, and social support services.

Dan helped shape the UK's social prescribing model, aiming to address the root causes of health issues through holistic, community-based support. We discuss its successes and challenges, along with the state of the NHS.

Links

Bromley by Bow Centre

Social Prescribing Network

Socials

@bromley_by_bow_centre

BbB LinkedIn

@creativehealthstories

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Singing for Health

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 09:23:49 GMT

The third and final episode of a mini series of audio stories I've been creating as part of a Develop Your Creative Practice (DYCP) grant from Arts Council England is about the health and wellbeing benefits of singing.

I spent time with 3 different community singing groups, capturing their singing sessions and interviewing participants about how it makes them feel and what benefits it brings to their lives.

Monday Music was set up by Grenville Hancox to promote the benefits of singing for general well-being. Its 65 or so members are mainly residents of Folkestone and its surrounding areas who meet once a week, during term time, to sing together. Grenville describes the sessions as a physical, mental and spiritual workout!

Canterbury Skylarks is the founding Sing to Beat Parkinson's group and part of the Canterbury Cantata Trust which supports a network of singing groups for people with Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions. The programme’s origins are rooted in the work of the Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health (SDH centre) and since 2018, more than three hundred practitioners have participated in Sing to Beat Parkinson’s training programmes.

Singing Mamas is a grassroots movement of women committed to improving wellbeing through singing. It was set up by nurse Kate Valentine to help manage stress, find connection and joy. There are Singing Mamas groups all over the country supporting women through pregnancy and motherhood, and with symptoms of postnatal depression.

This story isn't about new scientific evidence, it re-confirms and celebrates how singing creates community, a sense of belonging and identity along with supporting mental health, other neurological conditions and a range of physical health conditions.

If you'd like to commission an audio story about your work, organisation or group. Please get in touch.

Links:

Monday Music

Sing to Beat Parkinson's

Canterbury Cantata Trust

Singing Mamas

Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health

Socials:

@singing_mamas_org

@singtobeatparkinsons

@kate_valentine_singing_mamas

@creativehealthstories

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The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 09:12:34 GMT

The second in a mini series of audio stories I've been creating as part of a Develop Your Creative Practice (DYCP) grant from Arts Council England comes from The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge in Canterbury, Kent.

The Beaney describes itself as a 'pioneering therapeutic museum' which uses its unique building and collections to create a ‘tonic’ to enhance a visitor’s experience and improve their health and wellbeing. Its been at the forefront of wellbeing in museums for over a decade. I spent time capturing the sounds and stories from four of its wellbeing programme activities, tailored for a range of people with different needs including: blind and partially sighted people, people living with dementia and their carers, people struggling with loneliness and social isolation, older women and an artist working with science exhibiting in their Front Room gallery.

This story demonstrates how much public cultural spaces like museums and galleries can play a significant role in public health and are a lifeline for many people. Technically this story was challenging as sound echoes in big gallery spaces with hard floors and big glass cases, but it captures the great work The Beaney staff, volunteers and creative practitioners do.

Links

The Beaney

Museums on Prescription

Wendy Daws

Moving Memory Dance Theatre Company

Mellissa Monsoon

Socials

@the_beaney

@creativehealthstories

@wendydawsart

@moving_memory

@mellissamonsoonartist

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Nature based wellbeing in South West England

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 08:59:48 GMT

My guests in this episode are leading nature-based wellbeing opportunities for communities in South West England. They joined me for a fascinating conversation about how their services operate, some of the challenges they face and the wide-ranging impacts of being in green spaces.

Laura Tween is Director of Able Hands Together, a CIC based near Salisbury focussed on therapeutic farming for the benefit of the community and providing safe, accessible but life-changing long-term opportunities for adults who have learning disabilities, called “Co-Farmers”.

Roy Goddin is Founder of The Root Cause Project, a non-profit organisation supporting veterans and serving personnel in North Devon to rest, reflect, and enhance their wellbeing and mental health, using the restorative force of nature.

Marie-Claire Henon is Green Care Lead at Birdie’s Farm, Glastonbury’s Food & Regenerative Farming Centre which is a safe and impactful space for connection with others and educational opportunities to enhance the local area.

This episode has been commissioned as part of the Creative Health Associates Programme with the National Centre for Creative Health.

Links:

Able Hands Together

Root Cause Project

Bridies Farm

National Centre for Creative Health

National green social prescribing delivery capacity assessment: final report

Socials:

NCCH LinkedIn

Able Hands Together Instagram

Root Cause Instagram

Bridies Farm Instagram

@creativehealthstories

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Abbey Physic Community Garden

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 09:08:28 GMT

During 2024, I started further developing my skills and experience in recording, producing and editing sound as part of a Develop Your Creative Practice (DYCP) grant from Arts Council England. I've been working with a range of organisations, professionals and participants who put health and wellbeing at the heart of their creative and cultural practices, to capture the stories and impact that being creative has on everyone involved.

The first in the series comes from Abbey Physic Community Garden in Faversham, Kent - where I live!

Abbey Physic Community Garden (APCG) is an inclusive, accessible community resource providing companionship, therapeutic activities, training and skill building for people with mental health issues and those who are socially isolated. It has over 400 members with between 70 and 95 people taking part in activities each week, including: gardening, art, poetry, singing, cooking, men's shed, and so much more!

In June 2024, the garden celebrated its 30th anniversary of supporting people with mental health issues. I was lucky enough to be able to capture some of the stories from people who have been involved in the garden from its inception, along with current staff, members and volunteers. I'm hugely grateful for them sharing and trusting me with their stories.

Suzanne Campbell, Manager of the garden says: "Wow, what an incredibly beautiful piece of work you have produced....You have absolutely captured the essence of the garden. It`s like you have used magic thread to weave together the many different life journeys /stories that bring people together at the garden. It`s wonderful., amazing and very emotional. Thank you."

Thank you to Jane Pitt and Kevin Grist who have been mentors in this project, supporting me in developing my technical audio and storytelling skills.

I hope you enjoy listening. If you'd like to commission an audio story about your organisation, project, participants or to bring learning and impact to life, get in touch.

Links

abbeyphysic.org

Socials

@abbeyphysic

@creativehealthstories

This episode was supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

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Sir Michael Marmot on the social determinants of health and why creativity should be available for everyone

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 06:34:37 GMT

Sir Michael Marmot has been Professor of Epidemiology at University College London since 1985 and is Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity. He has led research groups on health inequalities for nearly 50 years and in 2000 he was knighted by Her Majesty The Queen, for services to epidemiology and the understanding of health inequalities. More recently, Marmot was appointed a Companion of Honour in recognition of his services to public health in the King’s 2023 New Year Honours.

In this episode, Sir Michael Marmot describes why he switched his medical focus to prevention and embarked on what has become a lifelong commitment to studying how social circumstances impact people's health. He explains what the social determinants of health are, and why they are fundamental to addressing health inequalities.

He talks through the recommendations he made in his landmark report ‘Fair Society, Healthy Lives (The Marmot Review)’ and shares some of the evidence, and his thoughts, on why the follow up ‘Health Equity in England: The Marmot Review 10 Years On’ showed that health inequalities in the UK increased during that period.

We go on to discuss why he thinks the arts, culture and creativity are important to live a life of meaning and purpose and how he wants them to be available to everyone in their everyday lives.

It was an honour and privilege to have this conversation.

Links:

The Institute of Health Equity

Fair Society, Healthy Lives (The Marmot Review)

Marmot Review 10 Years On

WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health

The Health Gap: the challenge of an unequal world (Bloomsbury: 2015)

Status Syndrome (Bloomsbury: 2004).

Creative Health Review

Socials:

UCL Institute of Health Equity LinkedIn

Creative Health Stories socials:

Instagram: @creativehealthstories

LinkedIn: @LauraBaileyCreativeHealth

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Grenville Hancox on a life and career of singing for health in research and practice

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 06:47:38 GMT

Grenville Hancox MBE is a musician, teacher, performer and conductor who has been at the forefront of initiating and researching music and health activities throughout his career. In 2003 he was a co-founder of the Sidney de Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health and later in 2012 founded the charity Canterbury Cantata Trust which developed a collection of singing groups including Sing to Beat Parkinson's, all demonstrating the principle of caring through singing. Grenville was awarded an MBE for services to Music in 2005.

Grenville shares his story of growing up with music at home and at school and how he recognised its therapeutic benefits from an early age, through to leading on formal research on arts and health, and his continuing singing for health groups where he lives in Folkestone.

Links:

Sounds Folkestone

Sing To Beat

Canterbury Cantata Trust

Sidney de Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health

Socials:

Grenville on LinkedIn

Creative Health Stories on Instagram

Laura on LinkedIn

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West Kent Mind and Strangeface Theatre Company - Puppetry, mask making and mental health

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 07:13:00 GMT

My guests in this episode came together through a puppetry and mask making project commissioned by West Kent Mind called The Forest Project. Cath Jackson is a Wellbeing Worker and Counsellor with the charity, Dani Thompsett is a guardian and big sister who joined the course as a participant and Russell Dean is the Artistic Director of Strangeface Theatre Company.

The four of us had a lovely conversation about the work of West Kent Mind and Strangeface Theatre Company, why puppetry and mask making are beneficial to our mental health and expressing emotion, the process of making and the experiences of participants on the programme.

Links:

https://westkentmind.org.uk/

https://westkentmind.org.uk/i-want-help/creative-minds/creative-showcase/

https://www.strangeface.co.uk/

https://www.strangefacemasks.com/

Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/westkentmind/

https://www.facebook.com/WestKentMind

https://www.linkedin.com/company/west-kent-mind/

https://www.instagram.com/strangeface3/

https://www.facebook.com/strangefacemasks/

Creative Health Stories on Instagram

Laura on LinkedIn

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Ashleigh Nugent on racism, the hero’s journey, arts and the criminal justice system.

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 08:37:28 GMT

Ash Nugent is a celebrated artist, writer and founder of RiseUp, a charity that uses creative arts to work with people in prisons and communities. In this episode he discusses his own journey from experiencing racism in the leafy suburbs of Liverpool, finding school unsatisfactory and uninspiring to becoming a disruptive youth and ending up in a Jamaican prison at 17.

His turning point came through being open about his love of writing, finding like-minded souls and pursuing an education. This all led to starting a CIC called RiseUp to help people who find themselves on the same path as he was.

RiseUp has a team of dedicated people who use creative arts and the Hero’s Journey to help people find self-worth and a better path in life.

Ash is an excitable, passionate storyteller dedicated to supporting others and I loved our conversation!

Links:

RiseUp

LOCKS by Ashleigh Nugent published by Picador, June 2023

Socials:

Ash on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn

Creative Health Stories on Instagram

Laura on LinkedIn

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Professor Kevin Fenton on 10 essential public health concepts and his passion for arts and health

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 09:18:37 GMT

Professor Kevin Fenton is a senior public health expert and infectious disease epidemiologist, who has worked in a variety of public health executive leadership roles across government and academia in the UK and internationally, including taking a leading role in London’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was awarded a CBE in the 2022 New Year honours list for services to public health.

Kevin is so articulate and generous with his knowledge about what 'public health' is in its widest sense and how it affects us on a daily basis. We run through 10 essential concepts Kevin believes can help improve health, save lives, and reduce inequalities in communities around the world and he provides really helpful connections to creative arts and his own experiences. Along with Public Health and Creative Health, the concepts are: Equity, Racism, Wellbeing, Resilience, Mindfulness, Mental Health, Self Care and Gratitude.

Kevin demonstrates his passion and belief in the role that the arts and culture have on our individual and community lives.

Links:

Office for Health Improvement and Disparities

Public Health, NHS London

UK Faculty of Public Health

Kevin's socials:

Instagram: @ProfKevinFenton

LinkedIn: @ProfKevinFenton

X: @ProfKevinFenton

TikTok: @ProfKevinFenton

Creative Health Stories socials:

Instagram: @creativehealthstories

LinkedIn: @LauraBaileyCreativeHealth

If you want to share your own creative health story, you can now do so on the website. Visit https://creative-health.co.uk/stories/

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Spotlight on Creativity and Wellbeing Week

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 07:59:39 GMT

Creativity and Wellbeing Week is a festival led by London Arts and Health and the Culture Health and Wellbeing Alliance and funded by Arts Council England.

This is a special commissioned episode reflecting on the festival week past and present to help understand the value of it to the creative health sector. I spent time listening at online events and interviewed a selection of people representing a range of organisations and perspectives about their work, how and why they get involved, and how they think the festival could evolve.

All my guests were generous with their time, offering unique, thoughtful and insightful conversation about Creativity and Wellbeing Week, and about the power of creativity for our health and wellbeing in different contexts.

Guests:

Anna Woolf, London Arts and Health

Professor Kevin Fenton, Public Health London

Sam Beal, Norwich Theatres

Daniela Nofal, Counterpoints Arts

Nafeesa Arshad, Hospital Rooms

Julie Tolhurst, Barnsley Council Public Health

Links:

Creativity and Wellbeing Week

Culture Health and Wellbeing Alliance

Socials:

@londonartsandhealth

@culturehealthwellbeingalliance

@_hospitalrooms

@norwichtheatre

@counterpointsarts

@barnsleycouncilofficial

If you would like to commission a podcast episode or audio stories for your organisation, please get in touch via the website.

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Share Your Own Creative Health Stories

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 09:33:32 GMT

I'm taking a short break over April. In the meantime, I want you to send me your creative health story!

Do you have a creative health story you'd like to share which could inspire other people? Send me an audio recording, no more than 5 minutes long, about how you're engaging with creativity for health or wellbeing to include on the podcast. Or write it down in no more that 750 words and I may read it out.

Tell me about you and what you do:

Your name (anonymous is fine too), maybe where you live, your age, your gender, your ethnicity, your job, anything else interesting about you (all optional).

Describe what creative activities you do and the impact they have on your health or wellbeing.

You don't have to be professionally trained and your creative activity can be anything from cooking and gardening through to dance, writing, body art and everything in between. Anything creative!

Record your story on your phone (e.g. Voice Memos on iPhone or Voice Recorder app on Android) and send it via email with the subject 'My Creative Health Story' to: laura@creative-health.co.uk

By sending me your audio recording and images you agree for them to be edited and published in part or full on my website, podcast, socials or part of an associated project.

Creative Health Stories website

@creativehealthstories

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Mark Kilbey & Sarah Winn on male mental health and verbatim theatre

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 07:53:23 GMT

Mark Kilbey is former police officer and detective who retired from the force after 20 years through mental ill-health after which followed a long period of mental illness including suicide attempts. He set up the peer-led mental health charity Take Off to support people in similar situations. Sarah Winn is a theatre maker who works with young offenders, vulnerable adults and diverse communities . After the loss of her cousin by suicide, Sarah set out to create a piece of verbatim theatre to highlight the issues around male mental health and suicide.

In this episode Mark and Sarah share their own stories and how they came together to make the play called 'No one Here Is Me', the impact of the process and the performance, and how the process has forged an incredible friendship between them.

*** Please note, the episode includes discussions around severe mental illness and suicide ***

Links:

Take Off

No one Here Is Me

Portrait Theatre

Wellbeing in the Arts

Socials:

@sarahwinnactor

@dreamwinn

@TakeOff_charity

If you're struggling with your own mental health, or you're having suicidal thoughts, or you know someone else who is, please seek help.

Places you can contact include:

Mind - Seeking help for a mental health problem

National Suicide Prevention helpline: Call 0800 689 5652

SOS Silence of Suicide Call 0300 1020 505

Samaritans Call 116 123

Childline (under 19s) Call 0800 1111

If you fear for someone's immediate safety, guide them to Accident and Emergency or dial 999 for immediate assistance

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Amal Lad on creative health from GP and musician perspective

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 10:33:40 GMT

Amal Lad is a GP and musician from Birmingham who has made a career out of exploring the intersection between art and medicine. His ability to reveal the connection between music and well-being has been recognised by the BBC and TEDxNHS, as well as countless listeners around the globe. He is the host of the Creative Medicine podcast, which also explores how people use creativity to improve health and wellbeing. Along with being a GP and podcast host Amal composes and releases his own music and is studying for a Masters in Performing Arts Medicine at UCL.

Our conversation covers 'self medicating', the role of a GP and the challenges faced in general practice and the wider NHS, along with Amal's own passion for the healing power of music and the arts. He's a super motivated and compassionate human being.

Please consider supporting the making of this podcast via Patreon

Links:

Website: https://www.amallad.com

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/amal-lad

Socials:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amalladmusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amal.lad

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/AmalLadMusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amal.lad.music

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/AmalLadMusic

@creativehealthstories

Edited by @podcastpenny

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christopher Bailey shares his global and personal view of arts and health

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 08:10:50 GMT

Christopher Bailey is the Arts and Health Lead at the World Health Organization and a co-founder of the Jameel Arts and Health Lab.

Educated at Columbia and Oxford Universities as well as the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, after a career as a professional actor and playwright, Christopher worked at the Rockefeller Foundation before joining the WHO.

Christopher has also performed original pieces such as Stage 4: Cancer and the Imagination, and The Vanishing Point: A journey into Blindness and Perception.

Our conversation covers Christopher’s journey to his current role (which he created), philosophy, theatre, and how arts and health fit into the aims of the WHO. We talk about the effects of art from neuroscience, public health, and preventative perspectives, along with the effects of awe, shock and wonder and the deep aesthetic experience.

We cover the UK’s influence in this field but also the lack of investment. Christopher shares how the WHO influences health policy around the world to be inclusive of the arts and lets us in on his own creative health world.

Please consider supporting the making of this podcast via Patreon

Links

WHO Arts and Health

Jameel Arts & Health Lab

Creative Brain Week

Healing Arts Scotland

NeuroArts Blueprint

Daisy Fancourt

Socials

Christopher’s LinkedIn

@baileychristophet

@creativehealthpod

Podcast Patreon

Edited by @podcastpenny

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Kiz Manley on trauma informed Hip Hop, creative writing and using her own experiences to help others

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 07:25:08 GMT

Kiran 'Kiz' Manley is the UK’s first Hip Hop Therapist. In 2012 she set up Hip Hop HEALS, a mental health social enterprise that spreads knowledge and research about Trauma-Informed Hip Hop. She hosts and produces her own podcast called 'Glowwiththeflow' on therapeutic Hip Hop, offering radical solutions to homelessness and mental ill health. The work stems from her own lived experiences of loss and grief and she now uses this to amplify the voices of others and people powered change to improve health systems. Kiz also works as the ‘Lived Experience and Programme

Coordinator’ at UCL for a big research programme called Mobilising Community Assets to Tackle Health Inequalities.

***Please note, in this episode Kiz discusses the loss of her sister in a car crash and the resulting grief and acute trauma responses. She also talks about the loss of her father, how grief is dealt with differently in different cultures and the inequities in the health system faced by global majority people in the UK***

Our conversation covers the whole spectrum of emotions - grief and sadness, but also lots of humour, frustration, happiness and joy.

Links:

Hip Hop HEALS

Kiz shared her experiences in a new book 'Music for Inclusion and Healing in Schools and Beyond'

Kiz’s own podcast is Glowitheflow and you can watch podcast footage here

Mobilising Community Assets to Tackle Health Inequalities programme

Socials:

@hiphophealsuk

Kiz/Kiran's LinkedIn

This episode was edited by Penny Bell @podcastpenny

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sian Stevenson on her DIY journey into theatre and keeping older women well though movement and performance.

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 09:52:10 GMT

Sian Stevenson is Creative Director of Moving Memory Dance Theatre Company. Sian has worked in theatre, opera and participatory arts for over 30 years. She has extensive experience in applied theatre, with specialist knowledge in movement, inclusivity, and disability. Her  work with Moving Memory is focused on the creation and promotion of a distinctive, movement-based, peer-led, collaborative, creative practice which enables people (especially women aged 50+) to tell their own stories and express their individual identity.

In this episode Sian discusses her own rebellious and DIY journey into theatre and performance, teaching, and working freelance. She explains how she learnt that ‘showing off is actually just showing yourself’ and the importance of being allowed to ‘play.’ We talk about why Moving Memory exists; about challenging ageism in society, the fear of getting older and, sharing and celebrating the stories, experiences and creativity of older people through performance.

Links:

Moving Memory Dance Theatre Company

Sian’s LinkedIn

Socials:

@moving_memory

This episode was edited by Penny Bell @podcastpenny

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can London be a creative health capital city?

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 09:20:57 GMT

On the 27th November, London Arts and Health invited everyone interested in the intersections of health and culture to come together for a day of exchange, reflection, boundary pushing and action planning. Together, we imagined London as a creative health capital city, laying the building blocks to see it become reality. Creative and health organisations and practitioners all see health and culture working together to address health needs across the UK’s capital city, however, for too many Londoners these activities are out of reach.

I spent the day asking people what creative health means to them, what they think about London as creative health city, how to make it a reality and what difference it would make to their work. The conversations highlight the opportunities and challenges and offer perspectives from people working on the ground with communities, across many forms of creativity.

The event was an initiative developed and funded by the Mayor of London and Arts Council England, delivered in partnership with London Arts and Health.

If you’d like to make a podcast or audio story about your work, your organisation, for an event, project, exhibition, or installation, please get in touch.

Interviewees in order:

Anna Woolf London Arts and Health

Jide Ashimi Raw Material Music & Media, SLaM

Shadé Joseph Writerz & Scribez

Lydia Rose Freelance Artist

Marley Starsky Butler Freelance, New Town Culture, Hospital Rooms

Mah Rana, Artist & Academic

Dr. Paul Gilluley NHS North East London

Laura Godfrey Isaacs Artist & Midwife, Maternal Journal

Joanna Latimer London Arts and Health

Tarek Iskander Battersea Arts Centre

Lewis Pickles & Elise Harbord The Road Zine

Lwandile Nkosi & Donald Boujar Queen Mary University of London

Marlo Savin & Kirsty Collander-Brown The Albany & Sounds Like Chaos

Elizabeth Lynch CADA

Richard Ings Arts Council England

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Daniel Fulvio on his arts career journey, creativity in the queer community and dancing for health

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 10:30:21 GMT

Daniel Fulvio is currently Deputy Director of Audiences (Community) at Rambert contemporary dance company, where he leads the learning and participation programme. Prior to Rambert Daniel’s roles have included leading the participation programme at Camden People’s Theatre and a producer of innovative, new queer performance projects with Opening Doors London and The Albany. He’s also been an award-winning journalist featured in the Guardian and the Times and was Deputy Editor of Attitude magazine.

In this episode Daniel discusses his experiences of bullying at school and how art and performing saved him from this. He describes how as a queer kid growing up in the 90s, who didn't feel like he fitted in, he used art and culture as a form of escapism.

Daniel also discusses the loss of his brother by suicide as a trigger for helping others through creativity.

We go on to discuss why creativity and expression is important for LGBTQ+ people as a form of empowerment, confidence, creating community and the sharing of ideas with like-minded people.

We chat about the importance of dance, not just for physical health but also for self-expression and connecting through culture. He discusses the work of Rambert, making contemporary dance accessible and practitioner wellbeing. We also chat about Rambert’s pilot work with Greater Manchester Combined Authority on a movement project to support physical development and gross motor skills in early years.

We finish with Daniel sharing the ways he supports his own wellbeing which enables him to continue supporting others.

Links:

Rambert – contemporary dance company

Greater Manchester Creative Health Strategy

Socials:

@rambertdance

@daniel_fulvio

Daniel’s LinkedIn

This episode was edited by Penny Bell @podcastpenny

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Year!

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 13:46:10 GMT

A quick message about what's coming in the New Year!

I'm taking a little break and will be back in January with a special bonus episode, plus series TWO!!!

Next year I'll be looking to develop the podcast with more on location recording.

If you have a creative health story which needs to be told and heard, please get in touch via the website or socials:

creative-health.co.uk

@creativehealthpod

Until then Happy New Year! See you back here in 2024!!

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Lynne Parker on the benefits of comedy for women and in everyday life

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 09:04:54 GMT

Lynne Parker is Founder and CEO of Funny Women, an acclaimed not for profit community for women to build self-confidence and develop their own distinctive voice. Lynne founded Funny Women in 2002 in response to a comedy promoter who told her that 'women aren't funny'. She went on to create the Funny Women Awards and, 20 years on, the rest is history.

Funny Women provides a safe, diverse, creative platform that empowers women to perform, write and use humour in business and everyday life. Lynne describes it as her ‘life’s work’.

In addition to producing comedy shows and running events, Lynne is a renowned performance coach encouraging people in business and public life to 'Stand Up to Stand Out'.

Lynne and I had a great conversation about how Funny Women came about and the many benefits of comedy for anyone, not just women, including confidence and empowerment, resilience, belonging, courage and validation.

Links:

Funny Women

Herlarious

20 Years of Funny Women – BBC Sounds

Funny Women at 20 – BBC Sounds

Socials:

Edited by Penny Bell @podcastpenny

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Natasha Boardman-Steer on community arts, working in the voluntary sector and her personal journey

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 09:13:58 GMT

Natasha Boardman-Steer is a creative practitioner specialising in health, wellbeing and community engagement. She founded her organisation ‘Creatabot’ in 2010 to provide opportunities for creativity of all kinds to support people to feel better about themselves and where they live. She is currently on the public advisory group for the Health Determinants Research Group Collaboration in Medway and studying for a BA (Hons) degree in Health and Social Care. Natasha brings lived experience to the work she does.

In our conversation we discussed Natasha’s experience of being home schooled and her early desire to use creativity to connect people. We talk about her creative journey starting at an Adult Education class is script writing at just 15 years old, through to working with communities, in prisons and with people experiencing homelessness. 

Natasha is really knowledgeable and articulate about creative health in community settings and in person centred health care, along with the challenges for freelancers and small organisations, particularly with how public sector services are procured.

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Natasha Reid on why the design of buildings and spaces matters for our health and wellbeing

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 09:15:14 GMT

Natasha Reid is founder of MATTER . SPACE . SOUL, a specialist design consultancy shaping places for health, wellbeing and social sustainability. She focuses on the social, psychological and emotional impacts of places and often speaks at conferences on forward-thinking approaches to pressing urban issues.

She a “Healthy Places and Inclusive Design” expert for the Redbridge Council design review panel, an associate of the Quality of Life Foundation, a sounding board member for Future of London’s Health and Housing impact network and formerly a fellow of think tank the Centre for Conscious Design. She is an advocate for the power of design to create change that matters, recognised in international publications such as Wallpaper* and Elle Decoration, as a "Groundbreaker" and "Women to Watch".

In our conversation we unpick why the design of the built environment – buildings and public spaces - matters to people's health and wellbeing and how it contributes to the wider social determinants of health and keeping people well. She explains biophilic and human centred design and why artists are important in designing public spaces and engaging communities in the process

Natasha looks after her own wellbeing through painting and being in nature.

Links:

MATTER . SPACE . SOUL

Place Quality Model

Michael Chang’s book: Public Health Spatial Planning in Practice

Quality of Life Foundation

Creative Health Podcast is hosted and produced by Laura Bailey. To get in touch email laura@creative-health.co.uk

Socials:

Creative Health Podcast @creativehealthpod

Penny Bell @podcastpenny

@matter.space.soul

@natashareid_creates

Natasha’s LinkedIn

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Tola Dabiri on the history of carnival arts and the social prescribing of arts and culture

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 09:29:11 GMT

Dr Tola Dabiri is the National Lead for Arts and Culture at the National Academy for Social Prescribing. Tola has worked across the cultural sector since 1995, beginning her career in public libraries and archives. She has also worked at the Museums Libraries and Archives Council, The National Archives, and the UK Centre for Carnival Arts.

In our discussion, Tola talks passionately about the history of carnival arts and why it's still important in Caribbean culture today, and about inclusive histories and the importance of recording all histories. She explains how social prescribing works and talks about the Power of Music Fund.

Her own creative health pursuits include creative writing and embroidery.

Links:

Carnival in a Box

Carnival Archives

National Academy of Social Prescribing

The Power of Music Fund

International Journal of Carnival Arts

Socials:

@creativehealthpod

National Academy of Social Prescribing:

@nasp_insta

Dr Tola Dabiri:

Edited by Penny Bell @podcastpenny

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Cedi Frederick on a life and career in service of others, good leadership, the integrated care system and a love of music

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 06:48:18 GMT

Cedi Frederick has held senior leadership positions across the private and public sectors for over 30 years and is currently chair of NHS Kent and Medway. He’s been named on four occasions as one of Britain's ‘100 Most Influential Black People’.

In our conversation we discuss his long and successful career in the health and social care sector and how his motivation to support others comes from his parents who came to Britain from Grenada in 1955. We talk about what good leadership is, being able to experiment and innovate, the challenges for the health system, why creativity is important for our health and wellbeing and how it can be part of the Integrated Care System.

Cedi gives a great example of local leadership making a huge difference to people’s lives – Eli from Olby’s Creative Hub in Margate - and talks about his own love of music.

This episode was edited by Penny Bell.

Socials:

Cedi Frederick:

NHS Kent & Medway:

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Alexia Gazi on her personal journey to sobriety and making for mindfulness

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 07:03:48 GMT

Alexia Gazi is an interior designer, self-taught artist, macramé maker, crafter and aspiring art therapist. She runs a small creative business teaching macrame as a form of mindfulness for wellbeing.

Alexia openly discusses her addiction to alcohol and being a recovering alcoholic. She describes her relationship with alcohol and the detrimental effects it had on her life, along with her journey to sobriety including therapy and attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

Two years into her recovery journey, she decided to teach herself 12 crafts in 12 months. She found the process of making and learning to be incredibly soothing for her often worrying, catastrophising mind and found that making allowed her to just be in the moment and thus began her love of making for mindfulness.

Alongside working as an interior designer, Alexia has been running a small business called Art of the H-art, teaching macramé for mindfulness in a range of settings.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please seek professional help. Free addiction support helplines can be found here

Links:

Art of the H-art

Alcoholics Anonymous

Socials:

Creative Health Podcast @creativehealthpod

Art of the H-art @artofthehart_

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Carolyn Forsyth on black theatre, representation, creativity for young people and her own creative outlet

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 07:36:10 GMT

Carolyn has worked as a Senior Producer and Arts Manager within theatre, young people’s work, outdoor and site-specific shows, UK and International touring, and festivals. She’s a passionate advocate of racial and social justice and currently Executive Director and Joint CEO of Talawa, the UK's outstanding Black theatre company and a co-opted member of UK Theatre Board.

Carolyn and I discussed her own career path including roles in children’s theatre and the importance of creativity when you’re young. We talked a lot about the importance of providing a platform for black and global majority voices and talent in theatre, representation and how it feels as a black person if you don’t recognise yourself and your community on stage, screen and in literature. We also chat about her own creative pursuits and learning from our Grandmothers.

Links:

Socials:

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Professor Helen Chatterjee on her creative health career, health inequalities and community assets

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 09:51:55 GMT

Helen Chatterjee is a professor of human and ecological health working at the forefront of the creative health movement. She joined me for a conversation about her career journey in creative health from the Zoology Museum at UCL to overseeing a major national programme called ‘Mobilising Community Assets to Tackle Health Inequalities’ led by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. She talks about giving everyone the opportunity to improve their health creatively, wherever they live and whatever their circumstances. She also explains current health systems; cross sector partnerships and how creative and cultural organisations can be part of them.

Links:

More about Helen’s work can be found here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/biosciences/culture-nature-health-research

Some of the organisations and projects Helen mentions:

National Centre for Creative Health

Culture Health and Wellbeing Alliance

APPG 2017 Creative Health Report

Mobilising Community Assets programme

Creative Health Podcast is hosted and produced by Laura Bailey. To get in touch email laura@creative-health.co.uk

Social Media:

Creative Health Podcast @creativehealthpod

Helen Chatterjee on X h_chatterjee

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Creative Health Podcast is coming!

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 11:33:02 GMT

Creative Health Podcast is coming! I'm so excited to be launching a new podcast all about how and why creativity is good for our health and wellbeing. I've got some wonderfully inspiring guests lined up to talk about art, culture, health and wellbeing.

If you're a creative or health professional, or an academic whose work is embracing the benefits of creativity, or someone with lived experience of creativity transforming your health and wellbeing and want to tell your story, please get in touch via the website www.creative-health.co.uk or via Instagram @creativehealthpod

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