Why

We believe everyone has creative potential and that creativity can lead to healthier lives and communities. Active engagement with the arts and culture, whether through our own creative practice or through our enjoyment of the creative practice of others, is beneficial for the health and wellbeing of us all.

We are particularly keen to work in the space between the established worlds of arts, culture, health and social care, exploring how co-production and collaboration can provide new ways of thinking about the intersection between our creativity and our health.

Health inequalities are a key priority for the NCCH, reflecting the wider policy environment within which we work. The increasing gap in inequalities was evidenced in Health Equity in England: The Marmot Review 10 Years On, published in February 2020. Lack of access to cultural and creative opportunities too often mirrors other inequalities. Working with communities, developing co-production methods with people who use services and developing culturally specific activities and opportunities are key to challenging inequalities in health and in the arts and culture. The Covid-19 pandemic has reinforced and increased inequalities and made this work all the more urgent. Build Back Fairer: The COVID-19 Marmot Review investigates how the pandemic has affected health inequalities in England.