Culture, Health and Wellbeing International Conference (CHW21), 21-23 June 2021 

Inequality | Power | Sustainability

Drawing on over 200 submissions from 20 countries, there will be 100+ live sessions and 10 country panels from around the world. CHW21 will showcase inspiring arts and health work from across the globe and encourage lively debates informed by different perspectives spanning policy, research, practice, lived experience and co-production.

Based on three key themes – Inequality | Power | Sustainability, the digital programme will provide a space for exploring individual and collective experiences and articulating a vision for the future. Designed to engage audiences from around the world with key notes in the morning, afternoon and evening and interactive sessions that take into account different time zones for presenters and audiences, tickets offer full access to the 3-day live programme, as well as access to recordings of sessions on demand between 21st-25th June.

• Early Bird Tickets – £150 (on sale until 7th May)
• Regular Tickets – £200 (on sale from 8th May – 7th June)

Find out more including how tickets can be shared, and book a ticket- www.ahsw.org.uk/event/chw21/

An Arts Culture Health and Wellbeing Scotland (ACHWS) event discussing the role of the arts in improving the wellbeing of children and young people. This was an online event, 2 – 4pm on Wednesday 9th June 2021. 

Following on from the ACHWS event on the arts and older people, “With Age, Art and Life Become One“, this event focused on the role of arts, and culture on the health and wellbeing of children and young people. Both events had over 90 registered attendees and a waiting list for each.

Bringing together a range of arts and health practitioners, this event discussed the impact and issues but also look forward to the role the arts can play in recovering and reshaping the future. The impact on the mental health of children and young people has been huge and the full extent of this is still unknown.

What creative ways can we work together to improve health and mental wellbeing of young people in Scotland?

Speakers:

• Claire Stevens, Chief Executive, Voluntary Health Scotland
• Robbie McGhee, Chair of Arts, Culture, Health and Wellbeing Scotland and Associate Director, Art in Hospital
• Kara Christine, Project Co-ordinator, the Socialites, Artlink
• Vikki Doig, Youth Theatre Arts Scotland
• Jed Milroy, General Manager, Tinderbox Collective
• Aileen Ritchie, Ignite Theatre in Glasgow
• Fiona O’Sullivan, Deputy Director of Children’s Wellbeing and Catriona McIntyre, Arts Development Officer at Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity

Some of the presentations have been documented here.

This was an online event that took place 2 – 4pm, on Wednesday 19th May 2021. This was an Arts Culture Health and Wellbeing Scotland event.

With a title inspired by a quotation from Georges Braque, at this event we explored the role arts and culture play in the health, wellbeing and care of older people whether they live independently or in residential/nursing care and for those who are in hospital.

Older people’s lives have been significantly affected by Covid-19, not least the distressing levels of social isolation and loneliness very many have endured for over 12 months. The removal of much appreciated activities, human contact and services have taken their toll physically, mentally and spiritually on our older population.

How have arts and culture interventions made a difference during these difficult days, what challenges have been faced, and how can the lessons learned help shape the recovery and renewal of services for the future?

What can the arts, culture and care sectors share and learn from one another about compassionate, person-centred and enabling care?

What do we mean by art and life becoming one with age?

Speakers:

Claire Stevens, Chief Executive, Voluntary Health Scotland
Robbie McGhee, Chair of Arts, Culture, Health and Wellbeing Scotland and Associate Director, Art in Hospital
Donald Macaskill, Chief Executive, Scottish Care
Anne Gallacher, Director, Luminate Scotland
Barbara McEwan-Gulliver, Artistic Director, Art in Hospital
Joe Traynor, Head of Museums Development, Museums Galleries Scotland
Leesa Mackintosh, Community Link Worker & Alison Leitch, Community Link Worker, Area Lead, North Edinburgh, NHS Lothians

Both this and its partner event “Every child is an artist”: The Role of Culture in the Health & Wellbeing of Young People had over 90 registered attendees and a waiting list for each event.