15 March 2021
Together with Arts Council of Wales, we are excited to announce 10 projects that will work on scaling and sustaining arts and health activity across the country.
We are excited to announce ten projects receiving funding and support through HARP Nourish, our partnership with Arts Council of Wales.
As we all continue to navigate the effects of the pandemic it seems more vital than ever to work together in partnerships and networks. HARP will create that space to collaborate across health, care and the arts to find new ways of addressing the health and care challenges we all face.
Ten projects have been awarded innovation funding to support ideas that improve people’s health and wellbeing through creative activities.
The projects, based throughout Wales, are part of HARP – Health, Arts, Research, People – an innovation and research partnership between Arts Council of Wales and Y Lab (Cardiff University & Nesta). Each project will receive funding and structured support from all the partners, including Wales Arts Health and Wellbeing Network and Nesta’s People Powered Results team, until 2022.
‘Sgwennu ar y Dibyn
Partnership between Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, Regional Substance Misuse Gwynedd and Môn Partnership Unit, Literature Wales, Adra (Tai) Ltd and lead artist, Iola Ynyr, to deliver Welsh language creative workshops as part of Welsh language recovery provision for groups of people with alcohol dependency, in a mix of online and face-to-face settings.
Creative Options – Opsiynau Creadigol
Partnership between Arts Care Gofal Celf, Hywel Dda University Health Board and Carmarthenshire County Council to deliver a range of creative activities to adults in Carmarthenshire living with mental health challenges, who are in inpatient services and supported living/residential care settings.
Digital Threads: Weaving Lives Together Through Song
Partnership between Forget Me Not Chorus, artist Louise Osborn and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board to deliver three blocks of interactive Zoom singing sessions with accompanying exhibition, connecting patients with dementia, family members, volunteers and staff at St David’s Hospital, Cardiff. The lives of all participants will be reflected, honoured and celebrated in song, poetry and visual art/photography.
HARBWR
HARBWR builds on partnerships between Swansea Bay University Health Board, artists, art organisations, third sector and local councils to develop and test a new arts on prescription model in the area. HARBWR will work with local partners to deliver a range of activities, to support people with mild to moderate mental health problems. In addition to proven arts in health projects like Dance to Health and Rengarific, new activities will be developed to broaden the impact.
Joio
A partnership between dance organisation Impelo, Powys Teaching Health Board, Alzheimers Society, & Dementia Matters Powys to develop and build the evidence around ‘Joio’, a new co-designed online dance programme for older people living with the specific challenges of dementia and mental health problems, supporting them to stay active and maintain social connectivity.
CF Voices
Partnership between Cardiff and Vale University Health Board & Four in Four, to deliver interactive online arts sessions for people with Cystic Fibrosis (as well as staff, family & carers), to build confidence and connection.
Art Well – A Post-Covid recovery programme
A partnership between Span Arts, Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services (PAVS), PAVS Community Connectors, Pembrokeshire County Council and Hywel Dda University Health Board’s Research, Innovation and Improvement Coordination Hub, aimed at building resilience of isolated individuals and communities in Pembrokeshire through three arts activities: Remote Choir (Singing), Theatr Soffa (Theatre) & Shared Worlds (Poetry).
SPARK
Partnership between Re-Live, Bridgend County Council and Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations, connecting older people experiencing loneliness and isolation with an online community, exploring experiences through drama, music, singing and dance.
Arts and Health Programme, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Partnership between Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Gwent Arts in Health, Head4Arts & individual practitioners to deliver a range of activities focused on mental health for different groups, through which the team will explore how to embed arts in the health board through collecting learning, evidence and advocacy.
‘Seren’: Creating Community Beyond Covid
Partnership between Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board and arts partners Tanio, Sue Hunt and Uschi Turoczy to address the impact of Covid-19 in the area. The health board will use creativity to address trauma and disorientation of older people recovering from Covid, firstly in the field hospital and then in the community (via a creative discharge plan). The team will also work with staff to bring creativity for wellbeing to Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board staff.
