Creative Health

This Creative Health course in London has been co-developed by London Arts and Health and City St George’s, University of London in response to the needs of practitioners working across arts, health and wellbeing.

London Arts and Health is the leading sector support organisation, advocate, expert and go-to agency for innovation in London’s Creative Health Sector. They aim to support the growth of the sector by incubating solutions to the challenges in Creative Health, bring these to realisation and make them scalable, affordable and equitable.

On this course you will develop the knowledge, confidence and practical tools to deliver and sustain creative health practice in real-world health and care settings.

Designed as a practice-based short course for creative health practitioners, it supports those already delivering arts-based work in community, healthcare or wellbeing contexts who want to deepen their understanding, strengthen their facilitation skills and connect with the wider creative health sector in the UK.

Across four sessions, you will explore the health and care landscape, including NHS structures and Integrated Care Systems, while developing your own practice through structured exercises and peer learning. You will gain practical skills in facilitation, evaluation, funding, partnership working and project development, all grounded in current sector frameworks such as the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Creative Health and Creative Health Quality Framework.

The course culminates in a final sharing session where you present a reflective piece or project idea, demonstrating how your creative health practice and professional approach has evolved.

Programme Facilitiators -

Amalia Restrepo: Research and Programme Director, London Arts and Health

Anna Woolf: CEO, London Arts and Health

Staff from CSGUoL -

Ruth Herbert (CHWG co-lead, School of Communication & Creativity)

Katie Rose Sanfilippo (CHWG co-lead, School of Health and Medical Sciences)

Deborah Padfield (CHWG co-lead, Institute of Medical and Biomedical Allied Education, School of Health and Medical Sciences)

Annie Bartlett (CHWG co-lead, Institute of Medical and Biomedical Allied Education, School of Health and Medical Sciences)

Christopher Dayson (The Centre for Charity Effectiveness, Bayes Business School)

Angela Ellis Paine (The Centre for Charity Effectiveness, Bayes Business School)

Who is it for?

This course is for artists, facilitators and practitioners working in creative health, community or care settings who want to develop their practice, build sector knowledge and strengthen their professional skills. Ideal for those seeking development in arts and health. London Arts and Health members get 10% discount on the course.

Timetable

Session 1: Wednesday 1 July 10:00am to 2:00pm

The Health in Creative Health: Led by City St George’s faculty, this session explores the role of the arts in health and wellbeing through a biopsychosocial model of health. You will examine NHS structures, Integrated Care Systems and health inequalities, alongside a pathway mapping exercise and practitioner case study.

Session 2: Wednesday 8 July 10:00am to 2:00pm

Understanding the Creative Health Sector and Developing Your Practice: Led by London Arts and Health, this session maps the creative health landscape in London and the UK. You will engage with sector frameworks, including the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Creative Health, and develop skills in safe and inclusive facilitation through a Session Design Lab.

Session 3: Friday 10 July 10:00am to 2:00pm

Sustaining Practice: Funding, Evaluation, Partnership and Innovation.  Led by sector experts, this session focuses on sustaining a creative health practice, including funding opportunities, commissioning pathways, partnership working and evaluation using the Creative Health Impact Framework.

Session 4: Wednesday 22 July 10:00am to 2:00pm

Sharing: Participants present a reflective piece (project concept, session design or creative response), demonstrating their development. The course concludes with guidance on further opportunities and access to a peer learning network.

Benefits

• Learn from leading creative health practitioners and sector experts
• Develop practical skills in arts in health facilitation, evaluation and partnership working
• Gain a joint certificate from London Arts and Health and City St George’s
• Access a resource library and practical workbook
• Build connections through peer learning and networking opportunities
• Join an ongoing creative health practice community.

This practice-based Creative Health course is delivered in collaboration with London Arts and Health and City St George’s, University of London, with input from leading practitioners and researchers across the arts, health and social care sectors.

You will develop practical skills, sector knowledge and professional confidence to deliver and sustain creative health practice in real-world settings.

Key learning areas:

Understanding the health system and context

• How creative health connects to NHS priorities, prevention and health inequalities
• Using appropriate language and frameworks to engage health and care partners
• Identifying where your practice fits within health and community settings

Developing your creative health practice

• Understanding the creative health sector in London and the UK
• Building confidence in safe, inclusive and responsive facilitation
• Designing effective sessions through practical exercises

Sustaining your practice

• Applying evaluation methods and impact frameworks
• Understanding funding, commissioning and partnership models
• Developing a sustainable approach to arts and health practice

Articulating your practice

• Reflecting on your professional development
• Communicating your work clearly to partners and stakeholders
• Identifying pathways for continued learning and sector engagement

Teaching is delivered through a combination of interactive workshops, group discussion, case studies, practical exercises and peer learning. Sessions are highly participatory, enabling you to apply learning directly to your own creative health practice.

Assessment is informal and practice-based. You will develop a short reflective piece or project concept throughout the course, which you will share in the final session. This provides an opportunity for feedback and professional reflection.

Participants who complete all sessions, submit the reflective piece and take part in the final sharing session will receive a joint certificate from London Arts and Health and City St George’s, University of London.

You will be awarded an official City St George’s, University of London certificate on completion of the course if you attend over 70 per cent of the classes. The course is not formally accredited.

Designed for those with experience delivering creative work in health, care or community settings. No formal qualifications required, but relevant experience is expected.

London Arts and Health members get 10% discount on the course.  When you have booked, please contact the team for further  information: shortcourses@citystgeorges.ac.uk

English requirements

You will need a good level of spoken and written English to enrol on this course.

• Understanding Creative Health in London: The Scale, Character and Maturity of the Sector
• Inquiry Report, Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing - Second Edition
• Art Cure
• Creative Health Quality Framework
• What is the evidence on the arts in improving health and well-being? A Scoping Review
• Creative Health Toolkit
• Arts and Cultural Social Prescribing