London Creativity and Wellbeing Week, 17 – 22 June 2012

 This year’s London Creativity and Wellbeing Week will take place from 17 – 22 June and we have just opened the week for the submission of events. You can enter details of events here:

http://www.creativityandwellbeing.org.uk/week/information-event-organisers#overlay=node/add/event

We are including a theme to some events highlighting the impact the arts can have in tackling health inequalities – so if you want to run events within this strand, then do let us know.

Arts and dementia

There’s a nice article in today’s Guardian about Arts 4 Dementia

http://www.guardian.co.uk/social-care-network/2012/apr/10/dementia-tackled-through-arts?newsfeed=true

 

Laughter the best medicine

There is an interesting article here about an Australian study into clowning and the impact of laughter on dementia.

http://www.voxy.co.nz/health/dementia-no-laughing-matter/5/119003

Now, I’ll put aside my reservations about clowing and clown doctors because the report talka bout physical clowning. Clowns don’t make me laugh but clowning does – so I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt on this occasion…

Music works like a megavitamin for the brain

New research indicates that people who have engaged with the arts through their lives have improved chances of recovering from strokes.

http://healthland.time.com/2012/03/16/how-an-appreciation-for-the-arts-may-boost-stroke-recovery/

Arts activities for children in hospitals

There is an article in yesterday’s New York Times about a programme of arts activity on childrens wards. It includes this summary

“For many young patients, it is this distraction — an opportunity to be considered by an adult not for their illness, but for their imagination and skill — that is the most important aspect of the workshop.”

You can find the article here

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/arts/artsspecial/using-art-to-help-young-patients-in-hospitals.html?_r=2

And if you’re interested - here’s a link to a project on the children’s wards at Addenbrooke’s

http://www.cambridgecandi.org.uk/current/films/

Surely more nourishing than chocolate

My eye was caught by this interview http://www.stardem.com/article_ffbb76e6-0ddb-5b37-b5b7-6419294aca0d.html

It’s fun although I would argue that arts in healthcare setting should be more like a three course meal than a KitKat…

The arts as a tool for community engagement

There is an article here http://www.guardian.co.uk/public-leaders-network/2012/mar/01/battle-public-opinion-mental-hospitals?newsfeed=true about the development of two new mental leath facilities in Liverpool. It specifically focuses on the community engagement process involved in getting planning permission and the role the arts played in securing the approval of local residents and establishing an ongoing dialogue with community groups. It is a very effective argument for the ways the arts can break down barriers and help communicate difficult ideas effectively.