A WHO Resource on Arts Practice and the Ethics of Care
With Care and Curiosity: A WHO Resource on Arts Practice and the Ethics of Care
Jameel Arts & Health Lab and the World Health Organization
Summary of UK Community Consultations
Convenor: Dr Julia Puebla Fortier, Arts & Health South West.
Hosted by: The National Centre for Creative Health (UK)
“Arts Practice and the Ethics of Care,” is a Jameel Arts & Health Lab project commissioned by the World Health Organization Arts & Health initiative to 1) identify ethical considerations adopted by arts practitioners when engaging in projects where care is a central concern and 2) to identify considerations for caring for arts practitioners when engaging in contexts of care. The final product will be a resource document, website, and social media platforms that aim to share these considerations with communities of arts practitioners worldwide. Public consultations convened by the co-authors from the seven WHO global regions are an essential element of the resource.
UK Consultation
There were two 2-hour online consultations (23 and 29 June 2023) that were advertised via newsletters and social media by host organisation The National Centre for Creative Health, and partner organisations: Arts & Health South West; The Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance; London Arts and Health Forum. The meetings each had 20-25 consultation participants (CP) and were led by project co-author Dr Fortier.
Questions asked in the consultations
The following recommended questions were posed to the consultation participants (CP):
- What constitutes 'care' as part of your work? (CP engaged in small group conversations (4 participants) and recorded highlights on a Jamboard.
- What care do you need to sustain you in your work? (Small group discussions and Jamboard)
- What ethical considerations do you keep in mind when working with people and in places where care is needed? (CP engaged in a full group discussion on this question, also recording key points on the Jamboard)
- Tell us a story about a project you were involved in where care was needed or where you, as an arts practitioner, needed care. (This was also a full group discussion but generally short as it was at the end of the consultation. Fewer points recorded on the Jamboard)
Summary of key themes
The comments are summarised from the two consultations. Given the number of CP (20-25 for each consultation), there was a heavy reliance on the Jamboard to record key points. This has resulted in a more brainstorming and breadth approach to answering the questions that has been organised below according to key themes. Quotations from the group discussion recording and transcripts that address the nuances of key points are added where appropriate.
Download the Full Arts Practice and the Ethics of Care, UK Consultation Document >>
