Regional Arts into Health

Current developments…

With the onset of a new commissioning round in 2009, the Partnership has decided to form a new independent Community Interest Company to oversee the joint planning, commissioning and delivery of arts into health work in the Black Country, on an on-going basis. Creative Health CIC will raise the profile of arts into health work within the Black Country and work with arts, health and community partners to do this and develop best practice guidelines to support project delivery. Partners will work regularly together, in order to continue to commission a range of new arts into health projects across the Black Country.

Further developments across the West Midlands have included the launch of a Regional Arts and Health Network which focuses on bringing together organisations, artists, arts development workers, community workers and health workers to learn about some of the issues, reflect on current practice and share experiences around arts and health work. The on line network can be accessed via www.praxisartsandhealth.org.uk

As part of this a co-ordinated programme of Action Learning Seminars is being organised to support regional Primary Care Trusts; local authorities; community, education and regeneration representatives and artists / arts organisations in developing health-based work.

The Regional network has been founded by arts and health workers from Black Country Arts Partnership, Staffordshire University and creativityteam, with the support of Arts Council England West Midlands.

www.praxisartsandhealth.org.uk

Background…

Since 2006 Walsall Council Creative Development Team has been working with representatives from Wolverhampton City Council, Sandwell MBC and Dudley MBC, together with their associated PCTs (Primary Care Trusts) to establish a joint Black Country Arts and Health Commissioning Partnership Group with support from Arts Council England West Midlands and NHS West Midlands.

Working together between 2006-2008 the Commissioning Partnership developed a joint framework for arts and health in the commissioning of healthy eating, nutrition and obesity-related services for children and young people. This resulted in the commissioning of creative writing, dance and multi-media projects that have engaged target groups of young people to explore issues relating to obesity, issues of body image and relationships to food. These proejcts have enabled the sharing of resources, learning and outcomes to develop stronger and effective partnerships across the Black Country.

A priority within the commissioning framework is focused around evaluation, giving partners opportunities to share health data, set health priorities and outcomes and evaluate the impact of individual projects.