What is PIPER?

Launched in 2019, our Arts and Health programme, HARP, aims to increase our understanding of how the arts can play a more prominent role in people’s well-being in Wales. 

As a response to COVID-19, we also launched the HARP Covid-19 Sprint which specifically looks at improving pathways and access to arts interventions that support different groups during lockdown and beyond

We believe that patients, service users and members of the public bring an expert insight into the research because of their experiences of a particular health condition, using health services and accessing arts and health initiatives.

The HARP Public Involvement and Patient Experience in Research (PIPER) group aims to provide a strong service-user voice to inform our research design and guide our impact. It aims to provide a safe and inclusive group where the users of arts and health activities can share their experiences of what works and what doesn’t and what arts and health mean for them.

Would you like to be involved in PIPER?

We are looking for 10 people living with a chronic condition, patients or carers who have taken part in arts activities (such as for example singing in a choir, creative writing or drawing), are based in Wales and are happy to talk about their experiences. 

In light of COVID-19 we will be communicating by email, telephone and Zoom. Being part of the PIPER group means that you might be asked questions about our arts and health research by email or asked to join a zoom call with other artists and researchers. This might involve questions on research design, what should we look out for when evaluating the impact of creative activities, and what matters to participants. We will also provide you with training on research methods and co-production. Please note that this is currently a voluntary opportunity.

Material will be sent out to group members in advance so that they have the chance to read it beforehand. Participants will have the choice of providing their input verbally during a session, or by telephone or email afterwards.

How to get in touch

If you would like to hear more about what we do and be part of PIPER group, please email Sofia at [email protected] with some information about yourself, the creative activities that you have taken part in and the reasons why you would like to join this group.