Understanding Creative Health in London
‘Understanding Creative Health in London: The Scale, Character and Maturity of the Sector’ was published on 24th September 2024 by the Mayor of London.
The report defines creative health as a way of thinking and working which recognises that culture, heritage and creativity – including art, craft, music, film, dance and drama – can improve our mental and physical health.
The Evolution of Creative Health
It maps the evolution of Creative Health across London from the 18th century to the present day; scopes work happening across health and cultural settings, in education and the community; gives an overview of the current funding situation and amplifies the voices and experience of practitioners working in the sector before making a series of four recommendations for the future.
Learning from our shared history
The report weaves a narrative of creative health across the capital, giving voice to shared histories that help us recognize and celebrate the foundations of our work today.
Mapping this story not only illuminates the journey of creative health across London but also offers valuable lessons. By tracing the narrative’s twists and turns, we gain insight into how the work has propagated, grown, and flourished, while also understanding the challenges and obstacles faced along the way. From this, we can distil learning that may benefit others beyond London.
Lastly, when we constantly focus on a distant goal, it can feel like we're not making progress. It's often only by looking back that we truly see how far we've come.
Having founded Vital Arts, one of the first hospital arts programmes, in 1994, I am proud to have been a part of this shared history.
Reading the report, I recognise many people and organisations that were pivotal to my own work, especially the Bromley by Bow Centre in Tower Hamlets, whose early work profoundly influenced my thinking.
Performance artists animate the corridors of The Royal London Hospital offering tea and talk to visitors; circa 1995; Photo: Vital Arts
Celebrating Progress in Arts and Health
Since I began in this field, much has changed. Arts Council England now recognizes and champions creative health in ways it didn’t before. London Arts in Health (LAH) has grown significantly, becoming more diverse and inclusive than its predecessor, the Arts in Health Forum, which focused mainly on visual arts in hospitals. There is also exciting work underway to integrate creative health into the new Integrated Care Systems (ICSs).
Creatively Mapping the Lifeblood of Queen Elizabeth Children’s Hospital before its closure in 1997; Photo: Vital Arts
Challenges in Creative Health Pay and Working Conditions
There is much to celebrate. We have come a long way. However, one thing that has not improved is the pay and conditions of those working in the sector, particularly freelance artists.
The report “identified a workforce that is highly motivated and effective while also being underpaid, overstretched and on the brink of despondency.”
I am not on the brink of despondency; I feel fortunate to still earn a living doing work I love. However, even without accounting for inflation, my salary as Director of Arts at Barts Health NHS Trust nearly 30 years ago was higher than what many Hospital Arts Coordinators earn today—and is comparable to what I earn now.
Championing Support for Creative Health Practitioners
I endorse all four of the report recommendations, but it is the last one, which is a call to “provide more support to practitioners – working with the Creative Health and Wellbeing Alliance’s Quality Framework,” which I feel particularly called to support.
Find out how I support creative practitioners, creative health and VCSE managers and leaders, learning and engagement managers, social entrepreneurs, academics and healthcare professionals who want to develop sustainable ways of delivering social impact without burning out.
