Arts into health
We have been working with Walsall teaching Primary Care Trust since 1994 to develop a broad and innovative programme of Arts and Health work.
This work enables health issues to be profiled in an engaging and accessible way within local communities in Walsall.
Projects are designed to give local people the chance to explore and debate health issues in greater depth, and support them to make informed healthy lifestlye choices.
We find creative ways to enable their voices to be heard, so influencing the provision and delivery of services.
All our Arts Into Health work:
- Is based on partnership
- Has local people at the forefront of project development
- Consults local people on their health needs and involves local people in decision making processes to tackle health inequalities
- Engages and empowers front line staff to develop flexible and responsive multi-agency partnerships
- Empowers communities and hard to reach groups
- Connects with other programmes to ensure an innovative and coherent approach
- Is based on good evidence and practice.
- Strengthens and contributes to meeting Walsall Council and tPCT inequalities targets
Our arts into health project work is developed through a ’themed’ approach undertaken by specialist development officers ensuring that the programme meets both national public health priorities and local health improvement plans.
To find out more about our themed project work please visit our Arts into health themes page.
Our Arts into Health development work focuses on health promotion delivery through the themes of sexual health, mental health, healthy ageing, maternal well being, drugs, healthy eating and physical activity, health care settings and PSHE (personal, social and health education). Project work is developed in partnership with Walsall tPCT’s Public Health Development Officers, National Service Framework leads, Community Public Health Facilitators as well as a number of external organisations and local authority departments to deliver work in line with mainstream initiatives and strategies.
The team’s work is supported by the Arts Council England Healthy Communities Programme which currently supports the development of the themed project work, strategic partnership and sub-regional developments, and arts and health practioner support and training programme.
Our partnership and programme of project delivery has been used as a model of good practice in Arts and Health research by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.