Our deep experience of working with people – be they schoolchildren, volunteers, disaffected youth, adults who may be deemed vulnerable, artists, corporate leaders, senior citizens or, conversely, whole organisations – convinces us that creativity and participation in the arts often acts as an engine for change, an act of involvement often transforming personal vision and aspirations
Arts, Health & Wellbeing
“The wealth of evidence and good practice examples illustrates the benefits right across the spectrum of arts and health, including improving clinical and therapeutic outcomes, helping users to express, contain and transform distress and disturbance, creating a less stressful environment for patients, service users, staff and visitors, increasing the understanding between clinicians and the people for whom they care, bettering public health, developing and delivering more patient-focused services, and improving the experience for all”
Department of Health and Arts Council England, 2007, ‘A prospectus for arts and health’, www.artscouncil.org.uk
This has been evident across all our community projects and these values have always underpinned the company’s approach to working with people. We believe well managed, person centred and sufficiently resourced participatory arts programmes can have a profoundly positive impact upon health and social care services – be that individual, group or for whole organisations
Our approach to empowerment
We work with all members of our communities, regardless of circumstance or diagnosis; our aim is to promote social inclusion, community cohesion and personal attainment – everyone has a voice, be that spoken or otherwise
- We promote equitable involvement
- We encourage and honour the involvement of people who may not enjoy formal participation, be that spur-of-the-moment or more dedicated time
- We work in partnership with a host of stakeholders across education, regeneration, housing, health, social care, training and creative industries – be they statutory, voluntary sector or private concerns
media
We deploy whatever creative process will work in terms of the people involved and requirements of our commissioners:
visual arts – film, photography and digital media – drama – metal working and sculpture – mosaic – multimedia – facilitated group work – singing – laughter – physical exercise – individual advocacy, or taking collective action based upon group self-advocacy … naming a few
