Last night at the LSE, part of the Literary Festival, The Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU), part of LSE's Health and Social Care located in the Department of Social Policy, gathered David McDaid, Vivienne Parry, Lizz Brady, James Leadbetter, and chair Professor Martin Knapp, to discuss Art and Wellbeing: the growing impact of arts on health.
Martin Knapp, Director of PSSRU and Professor of Social Policy at LSE, and Director of the NIHR School for Social Care Research, presented and chaired the panel.
David McDaid, Associate Professorial Research Fellow in Health Policy and Health Economics at the Personal Social Services Research Unit at LSE discussed Art and Wellbeing from an economic perspective.
He explained that art was beneficial for health, however it was important to present a case for it scientifically, to showcase that in the long term it could be cost effective to promote art as a tool for wellbeing. In other words, demonstrate to the Local Authorities and the Clinical Commissioning Groups, the potentiality of a return on investments, in order to secure financial support for arts for health.
He presented the case for the arts by giving examples from dancing, singing, magic tricks as occupational therapy to going to the library, with reading being associated with a higher self purpose.
In all, he concluded that the arts as a tool for health can be cost effective for society.
He ended his presentation by quoting Stephen King: " Life isn't a support system for art. It's the other way round."
He explained that art was beneficial for health, however it was important to present a case for it scientifically, to showcase that in the long term it could be cost effective to promote art as a tool for wellbeing. In other words, demonstrate to the Local Authorities and the Clinical Commissioning Groups, the potentiality of a return on investments, in order to secure financial support for arts for health.
He presented the case for the arts by giving examples from dancing, singing, magic tricks as occupational therapy to going to the library, with reading being associated with a higher self purpose.
In all, he concluded that the arts as a tool for health can be cost effective for society.
He ended his presentation by quoting Stephen King: " Life isn't a support system for art. It's the other way round."
Vivienne Parry, host of medical programmes on Radio 4, as well as writer, author and a scientist by training, started her talk by expressing that "health needs the arts" and that "art engages in a way that health is not meant to do". She explained that "this is the time for arts" to be used as a mechanism in health and society because we are living longer and also because of austerity. "As a nation we need to think about prevention" Parry stated.
By arts, she explained that, she meant 'arts' that we do in our leisure time, in other words, listening to music, watching a film, joining leisure groups and so on. As Parry expressed, art and engaging in art can help with confidence, anxiety, isolation, making friends, and many other benefits too, it being "the medicine to the soul".
She concluded that art professionals could be useful to the NHS and art is a good tool for wellbeing however, art has not been presented the right way, it should be seen in a serious light, and for that, it needs to present economic and evidence data for it to be taken into consideration for financial support.
By arts, she explained that, she meant 'arts' that we do in our leisure time, in other words, listening to music, watching a film, joining leisure groups and so on. As Parry expressed, art and engaging in art can help with confidence, anxiety, isolation, making friends, and many other benefits too, it being "the medicine to the soul".
She concluded that art professionals could be useful to the NHS and art is a good tool for wellbeing however, art has not been presented the right way, it should be seen in a serious light, and for that, it needs to present economic and evidence data for it to be taken into consideration for financial support.
Lizz Brady, a visual artist and curator based in Manchester, and founder of Broken Grey Wires, a contemporary art organisation of a collective of five artistes exploring mental health, philosophy, and psychology talked about her experience with art.
As Brady was about to commence, projected onto the screen was the inspiring quote of "Make Windows Where There Are Walls", a sentence from her poem she wrote when she had tried to take her own life.
A powerful talk, she explained that she felt that art could help a person recover from mental health issues, but that she was not sure if a person could ever fully recover. That it was a day to day process and that art helped with that timeline, it being a "facilitator to recovery". However, she stated that on the other side, her chosen profession has given her, on occasion, anxiety and made her put pressure on herself for achievement. Regardless of those occasional downsides, Brady said that being creative was "a release", that "when working, all bad things go away" and that she has "self pride in making art."
As Brady was about to commence, projected onto the screen was the inspiring quote of "Make Windows Where There Are Walls", a sentence from her poem she wrote when she had tried to take her own life.
A powerful talk, she explained that she felt that art could help a person recover from mental health issues, but that she was not sure if a person could ever fully recover. That it was a day to day process and that art helped with that timeline, it being a "facilitator to recovery". However, she stated that on the other side, her chosen profession has given her, on occasion, anxiety and made her put pressure on herself for achievement. Regardless of those occasional downsides, Brady said that being creative was "a release", that "when working, all bad things go away" and that she has "self pride in making art."
Art work by David Shrigley that was projected onto the screen behind Lizz Brady during the beginning of her talk, as examples of works of art and artists that have inspired her and helped her to get through.
James Leadbitter aka The Vacuum Cleaner, is an an art and activism collective of one, presented too a powerful account of his art work which focuses on mental health, and shared with the audience that "Art has saved my life, it stopped me killing myself".
He opened up about his time spent in health wards and how he found it difficult. He therefore designed with Hannah Hull "Madlove Designer Asylum". A version of what a mental health care should 'look like', 'feel like', 'taste like'. The Vacuum Cleaner wondered how "his utopian mental hospital" could "become reality".
His Madlove project has openly discussed mental health, engaged communities and showcased ways that could help understand mental health and change health wards. He also stated that he would like for the next steps to be about listening more to those who have mental health issues and take the knowledge of mental health that they possess as a framework.
He opened up about his time spent in health wards and how he found it difficult. He therefore designed with Hannah Hull "Madlove Designer Asylum". A version of what a mental health care should 'look like', 'feel like', 'taste like'. The Vacuum Cleaner wondered how "his utopian mental hospital" could "become reality".
His Madlove project has openly discussed mental health, engaged communities and showcased ways that could help understand mental health and change health wards. He also stated that he would like for the next steps to be about listening more to those who have mental health issues and take the knowledge of mental health that they possess as a framework.
Two works by The Vacuum Cleaner for Madlove : A Designer Asylum
The panel during Q&A
Last night, the panel presented the case for art as a strong tool to have for wellbeing, but that evidence and economic statistics were needed for it to compete for funding and be seen as a prospect that can be used in the long term.
An interesting, important and meaningful evening with engaging talks by all panelists, showcasing art as a tool for wellbeing in a person's life and the potentiality of art to be used more as a tool for wellbeing for health in the NHS and in society.
An interesting, important and meaningful evening with engaging talks by all panelists, showcasing art as a tool for wellbeing in a person's life and the potentiality of art to be used more as a tool for wellbeing for health in the NHS and in society.
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