Care-ful ​Museums ​– Creative Health work in museum and heritage spaces ​

Louise spoke about how museums support creative health by offering trusted, non-clinical spaces that reduce isolation, build wellbeing and encourage belonging.

These were some of Louise’s key points: 

1. There is a growing mental health crisis, and current systems cannot meet demand alone

• Children and young people are a particular concern, with referrals to mental health services in England having risen sharply, especially for anxiety.
• The NHS alone does not have the capacity to meet this level of need, so other community-based responses are needed.

2. Creative health offers a preventative, community-based response

• Museums can contribute by offering trusted, non-clinical community spaces where people can access wellbeing support before reaching crisis point; reaching people who may not seek help through formal healthcare routes.

3. Museums can support the NHS priorities of community care and prevention

4. There is strong research evidence for arts, culture and health

• Daisy Fancourt’s work, particularly her book Art Cure and research for the World Health Organization, is a key evidence base.
• arts and culture are a “forgotten fifth pillar” of health, alongside diet, sleep, exercise and time outdoors.

5. Museums have distinctive “active ingredients”

• Museums are unique because of their objects, sense of history, quiet non-clinical spaces, shared creative activity, and volunteering, which together provide a multi-modal “super boost” for wellbeing

6. The idea of the museum as a space of social care is central

• The term “careful museum” is used to describe a museum that actively thinks about how it supports people, relationships and belonging.

7. Pathways to Wellbeing at the Holburne Museum is a practical example

• The programme supports adults and young people with mental health issues and isolation through heritage- and art-based activities, embedded in social prescribing networks. 
• The programme is built around progression and creative independence
• It uses a stepped model of support (from highly supported to peer-led groups) to scaffold creative independence rather than foster dependency.
• The work is therapeutic, but not art therapy - this distinction matters because the museum is offering wellbeing support in a cultural and social setting, not clinical treatment.

8. Exhibitions and public celebration are an important part of care

9. A “careful museum” values people, belonging and quiet care

• The Holburne aims to be a “careful museum”—caring for staff, volunteers, artists, and participants; creating spaces of belonging and comfort; valuing relationships over transactions; and honouring the quiet, everyday work of care. 

Creative Health Lead Programme BNSSG​

Mark Hubbard, VCSE Lead NHS BNSSG ICB, along with Helen Bradley, Public Health Principal - Inclusion Health at South Gloucestershire Council, updated us on the development of the Creative Health Lead Programme for our region.

This programme will involve the appointment of a Creative Health Lead to connect existing activity, address inequalities, support sector sustainability and embed creative health more firmly into NHS, local authority and system-level planning. 

The role will help move creative health from isolated pockets of excellence into a more coherent regional approach, linked to prevention, neighbourhood health and national learning.

Next steps include exploring shared values and principles, finalising governance and paperwork, and aiming to begin recruitment around the network’s September event, with a possible appointment by January.

During our breakout discussions, members were invited to share their thoughts on values and principles behind the regional programme – please see the summary document for the thoughts captured here.