The Whitworth Gallery

Notes from the meeting:

I took a visit to the Whitworth art gallery to meet with the Arts for health coordinator Daisy Strong. I wanted to find out in the meeting what arts for health projects the Whitworth are running for the public.

The arts for health department has been running for 12years at the gallery. Wendy Gahlager and Daisy Strong coordinate and oversee the arts for health projects that are running at the Whitworth and Manchester museum.

Projects that are running:

-Supporting people living with dementia

-Not so grim
http://www.healthandculture.org.uk/not-so-grim-up-north/about-the-research/

– Artists going onto complex hospital wards to facilitate the arts for patients.

-Coffee, cake and culture – for people living with dementia, anyone is welcome, drop in session.
http://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/whats-on/events/coffeecakeandculture/
Art making workshop & social opportunity.

-Beyond dementia,
exhibition – people living with dementia
currently being exhibited in Trafford general.

-Working with the Maggie centre – cancer support centre.
https://www.maggiescentres.org/
Beautiful spaces and activities – aid well being.

-Lucy Burscough – facing out

-Stroke survivors association

-Dance for Parkinson’s
6 weeks with the English national ballet – based on research, exercise is good for Parkinson’s

-Grow
Gardening to help well being whilst struggling with mental health issues

-Walk for well being
Tai chi
Yoga

-Sick festival

http://www.sickfestival.com/

Looking at end of life care

-This grief thing
talking about grief

-Health and culture website

http://www.healthandculture.org.uk/about/

Daisy is a MMU Illustration graduate and we discussed life after graduation and how she got into working in arts for health.
Her advice was to get involved and volunteer, and opportunities will arise from that. She volunteered in the local Manchester galleries, which eventually led her to becoming an artist, leading workshops for visitors. She then went on to further her studies with a postgraduate which opened more doors for her in the long run.
We discussed the small network of arts for health – all the people who work within the field all know each other, and make sure to support and encourage each other, collaborating in projects and pushing to make things happen. When I graduate from university I would like to continue my exploration within arts for health, getting involved through volunteering and paid opportunities to continue my experience and understanding of the field of work.

Q- How do you see the future of arts for health?
A- I would like to see more social prescribing/ arts on prescription available to more people. We have a lot of issues with travel, participants not being able to afford or access modes of transport, this would be idea to improve with the help of funding. It is important to increase the amount of research with arts for health to help make it clearer for other people not in the arts to appreciate it’s benefits and value.
Culture Shots
We do a lot of educational outreach with GP’s, working with them to help demonstrate the impacts and benefits of the arts from within a medical setting.

Most of the participants come to the Whitworth through referrals.
They also are linked with charities that help refer people to projects going on.

The gallery has created a ‘cultural first aid kit’ to help encourage arts for health practice and make this accessible to the public – this is free online.


http://www.healthandculture.org.uk/about/

I aim to apply to start volunteering within the arts for health department at the Whitworth after I graduate.

Daisy mentioned a unique job role I could apply for :
Therapeutic activity coordinator,
This job role is to deliver arts based activities on hospital wards.
Arts for health in hospitals, may aid in research and increase the health and well being of patients.