March was a busy month for Creative Lives' Policy Director, Jess Plant - with lots of policy and research developments that have an impact on creative groups across the UK and Ireland.

"This month, I was delighted to learn that Daisy Fancourt’s influential book, Arts Cure, continues to gain traction, and has now been shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction. 

I watched Daisy in conversation with playwright James Graham at The Other Palace Theatre on 23 March. She explained how collective experiences such as attending the theatre can support memory function, and that evidence shows creative engagement is as effective on our long-term health as exercise! 

I was also delighted to hear James Graham highlight the role welfare centres once played in facilitating live music, theatre, and drawing classes, making them accessible to everyone. He championed the need for resources at a local and community level, so the arts can be accessible for all, not just an elite few.

This sentiment, that art must be for all, aligns with Lisa Nandy’s response to the  independent Hodge Review, which was published on 27 March - at the same time as Arts Council England’s (ACE) response.

DCMS and ACE have accepted Hodge’s recommendations, and have published an action plan for change. Creative Lives welcomes the focus on community-led decision-making, increased focus on the ‘local’, and support for more priority places. We very much hope this signals a move away from a ‘deficit model’ of cold spots, and instead recognises and nurtures the vibrant culture that already exists within our local neighbourhoods and communities. 

I also attended the closing event of the public programme at 64 Million Artists, which was a great time to reflect on the amazing work they have done promoting Everyday Creativity via the January Challenge. You can find both their Resource Library and Final Public Programme Impact Report online, which provide toolkits, prompts and evidence to continue your practice of everyday creativity, and help spread it to your communities and beyond.

Policy Across the Nations

Also this month, at the Community Leisure UK working group, we discussed the pre-election Future Generations Commissioner for Wales’ Culture Bill, and the potential Culture Act in Scotland. 

We also celebrated amendments in the Devolution Bill led by Culture Commons in England. All of which is aiming to ensure that art and culture are embedded in both lasting political thinking, and practical policy implementation. 

This month we also learnt that there is Seanad Public Consultation on Culture and Arts Infrastructure, where the Seanad Public Consultation Committee is seeking ideas to support culture to thrive across Ireland.

A Renewed Focus on Loneliness

On 21 March, I attended an online re-launch of the Loneliness Hub, featuring Alina Sellman (DCMS) and Minister for Loneliness Stephanie Peacock. It was particularly promising to hear the Minister highlight the Barnsley Youth Choir and local libraries as vital tools for fostering social connection.

Social Prescribing on the Global Stage

It was World Social Prescribing Day on 26 March, and at the House of Commons we celebrated the National Academy for Social Prescribing being designated as the World Health Organisation's Collaborating Centre for Social Prescribing Policy and Development. 

It was great to connect with our Trustee Sunita Pandya Malik, as well as Jemma Channing (ACE), Anna Wolf (London Arts and Health), and Matthew Couper (Greater London Authority). The event featured a powerful contribution from Angela Rippon on the benefits of dance, and MP Rebecca Cooper reminded us of the three key aims of the NHS’s 10-year plan: moving from analogue to digital, treatment to prevention, and hospital to community. 

While the evidence for dance, nature, and music in supporting wellbeing is undeniable, more needs to be done to ensure there are suitable, well funded, creative activities to refer people to. We must ensure community groups have the resources and expertise to handle high-needs referrals as social prescribing expands.

The Path Forward

The evidence for participation in creativity is growing, and becoming more mainstream. Simultaneously, the mechanisms for delivery are changing through Arts Council reform, Social Prescribing, and other government strategies such as Pride in Place, Towns of Culture, ongoing Devolution and Neighbour Health. 

These shifts present real opportunity for local creative groups to play a crucial role in rebuilding local communities. At Creative Lives, we are committed to supporting our stakeholders at a local level, and we will continue to ensure local culture is surfaced, recognised, and nurtured so it can help build thriving, healthy communities."