Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the Creative Health Sector

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the Creative Health Sector - Reflections from our MASc in Creative Health Dissertation Student 

NCCH partners with University College London's (UCL) Master’s (MASc) programme in Creative Health to support students completing their master’s thesis. Each year, students work with us to carry out research that supports the development of the sector. Last year we worked with Buse Kanber, who looked at the barriers and enablers for equity, diversity and inclusion within the creative health sector.

The following provides a summary of Buse’s approach and findings. 

• Read a more detailed summary of the work here.
• Access the full thesis here. 

Research aims 

Despite the expansion of the creative health sector, a lack of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), both in participation and workforce representation, has been raised as an issue and there is a gap in understanding how to address this. This study aimed to explore the barriers and enablers to EDI within creative health, and to make recommendations to ensure greater diversity and inclusivity as the sector grows. 

The findings of this project will have implications for policy, practice, training, and community engagement initiatives in creative health. By identifying barriers and enablers, the project aims to inform strategies and interventions to promote EDI, improving outcomes for practitioners and participants. Additionally, the research will contribute to the broader discourse on health inequalities and the social determinants of health, highlighting the best practices for incorporating creative approaches into holistic, community-based health and wellbeing strategies. 

Ultimately, this study aimed to inform the sector about the conditions that will create a more inclusive and equitable environment, where the benefits of creative health can be experienced by all. 

“I wanted to focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion in creative health because I kept noticing a gap between who can benefit from creative health practices, especially in the context of health and social inequalities, and who actually gets to participate or have a say in them. Creative health offers a wonderful approach to support wellbeing in individuals and communities, but it can’t do that meaningfully if it’s not accessible or inclusive. I was interested in understanding what’s getting in the way, and what can be done differently to make the sector more equitable.” – Buse Kanber 

Approach

The research incorporated a literature review and semi-structured interviews with sector professionals. Participants were selected based on their experience and expertise in creative health, with a focus on EDI, recruited via NCCH networks and contacts. We are very grateful to those who gave their time to the work. 

Key findings 

The literature review revealed a lack of peer-reviewed articles directly addressing EDI in the creative health sector. Grey literature, including organisational reports, blogs and websites as well as resources from adjacent sectors, was therefore also incorporated into the search. This revealed a trend for particular socio-demographic groups to be less likely to engage in creative activity, and that existing health inequalities created additional barriers to participation. 

Barriers to participation included: discrimination; socio-economic barriers; systematic and structural barriers; lack of representation and cultural sensitivity; stigma and internal barriers. 

Enablers promoting diversity were also identified. These included: community-centred approaches; cultural sensitivity and representation; workforce development, training and support; cross-sectoral collaboration; funding and resources; the availability of safe spaces; education and outreach and evidence and evaluation. 

Six main themes were generated from thematic analysis of the interviews:

• Understandings of creative health
• Understandings of diversity
• Lived experience, co-creation and collaboration
• Outreach, engagement and participation
• Strategies for sector support, development and sustainability
• Systemic and structural context 

Read more details in the summary report – here 

Conclusions 

Through a combination of literature review, examples of good practices, and reflexive thematic analysis of interviews with sector professionals, the research provided a comprehensive understanding of how diversity is perceived, facilitated, and impeded within the creative health sector. 

The findings revealed significant barriers in both access to creative health services and diversity within the workforce. Marginalised and underrepresented groups face a range of challenges, from socio-economic constraints and lack of access to cultural insensitivities and systemic exclusion. Furthermore, the creative health workforce consists predominantly of White, middle-class women, with limited representation of diverse voices in decision-making roles. This highlights an urgent need for sector-wide policies and practices that are more inclusive and responsive to the needs of diverse populations. 

Enablers for EDI were also identified. Participants emphasised the importance of co-creation and lived experience in the design and delivery of creative health programmes, as well as the need for long-term funding models, targeted outreach, and professional development and support initiatives. These enablers allow for the creation of sustainable, self-supporting practices and networks, facilitating engagement of underrepresented communities with creative health opportunities. Cross-sector collaboration was also identified as a key enabler, with partnerships between healthcare providers, community organisations, and cultural institutions seen as critical to creating more inclusive and sustainable programmes. 

Next steps 

Buse suggested a series of recommendations based on this work for both NCCH and the sector as a whole.  They include the need for comprehensive EDI policies, enhanced recruitment and training practices to respond to the barriers to access, and the provision of sustainable funding models that support the growth of a diverse creative health workforce and sector. Sector support organisations, such as the NCCH, have an important role to play in advocating for these changes and providing guidance on inclusive practices, as well as improving EDI within the organisation. 

“Doing this research highlighted how important it is to approach EDI as something that needs to be actively built into the foundations of creative health. In the interviews, it was clear that things like trust, financial accessibility, and representation really shape whether people feel welcome to take part or feel like they belong. That’s why my recommendations focus on long-term, structural changes — supporting grassroots practitioners, building genuine partnerships with communities, and creating more sustainable ways of working. I think what’s needed now is more space for honest conversations, and a willingness across the sector to listen, adapt, and share decision-making power.” – Buse Kanber 

We are grateful to Buse for her hard work and this important piece of research, which will help to guide our approaches at NCCH. Already, the work has been presented to our board of trustees, and will guide our future work on Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging including informing future iterations of our NCCH’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy and Action. 

We are very pleased that Buse completed the MASc with flying colours and we wish her all the best in her creative health career.