Creative Lives was commissioned by the Norfolk & Suffolk Culture Board to learn more about the creative health sector across the region.

We worked with the Norfolk and Suffolk Culture Board and an especially designed creative health Working Party made up of experts from the region in order to:

• Establish a working definition of good practice;
• Map the current activity;
• Identify workforce needs;
• Highlight good practice;
• Build strategic alliances.

For this peice of work, we used the National Centre for Creative Health definition of 'creative health': creative approaches and activities which have benefits for our health and wellbeing. Activities can include visual and performing arts, crafts, film, literature, cooking, and creative activities in nature (such as gardening).

Approaches may involve creative and innovative ways to deliver health and care services, co-production, education, and workforce development. Creative health can be applied in homes, communities, cultural institutions, heritage sites, and healthcare settings, and can contribute to the prevention of ill health, promotion of healthy behaviours, management of long-term conditions, and treatment and recovery.

Creative Lives worked with two expert freelancers: Nikki Crane and Llewela Selfridge to deliver five focus groups, a range of interviews and conduct an online survey. The report from this piece of work will be launched online on 18 April 2024.

If you have any questions please get in touch with Jess Plant on email: [email protected]