Arts and Minds Event, 30 October 2008

ABSTRACT FROM CHAIRMAN’S INTRODUCTION

Thanks to Fitzwilliam Museum and Gill Hart for partnering this event and associated workshops and to University for arranging Cambridge’s first Festival of Ideas, a massive programme of which this event forms part

Delighted to add my welcome – to old and new friends – thanks for continued support

Arts and Minds is a local charity launched in May 2007 to encourage, promote and offer access to and participation in the arts for people of all ages with mental health issues and learning disabilities throughout Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. We do this because we believe that the arts, and participation especially, are good for everyone. They encourage imagination and aspiration. They offer the opportunity to re-discover or find new ways of expressing oneself – to engage in purposeful endeavour – to achieve something – to build pride and self-esteem, to reduce isolation and to improve the spirit

Arts and Minds has 3 aims - to work with all people with mental health and learning disability services, all ages, across the county

Since our launch, we have done this in over 20 projects with over 250 participants of all ages ndash; in Cambridge, Fulbourn, Cambourne, Lode, Huntingdon. St Ives, Ramsey, March, Wisbech and Peterborough.

Many more projects in the pipeline

Here are some highlights

This event with the Fitzwilliam – the exhibition and the talk
The Cambourne story-telling project with South Cambs Arts and a raft of local partners – developing into a flourishing community arts progamme
The Artsbus project with Mari Gomori Promotions, Stagecoach and John Lewis – working with Kettles Yard in Huntingdon and St Ives and with the Bowthorpe Centre in Wisbech
The Croft Unit at Ida Darwin, Fulbourn and Anglesey Abbey – working with young children and siblings and their parents
The University Archaeology Department and Red2Green, another local charity – working with people with aspergers as volunteer diggers
Michaelhouse Chorale
Mental Health Matters on community radio 209 – a monthly magazine programme devised and presented by mental health service users - with Lifecraft, Cam-MIND and a number of other local mental health charities
In Peterborough – working with the new mental health unit there to make ‘art at its heart’ with user and community art – this programme being led by our new development associate for Peterborough and Fenland – Caroline Kisby allowing Kay Goodridge to concentrate on southern Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire
Poems in the Waiting Room – a national initiative which Arts and Minds is supporting so that selections of poems can be provided quarterly in GP surgeries throughout Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

There is lots going on and it’s very diverse. Arts and Minds is very grateful to all supporters especially grant givers without whom this programme would be impossible - grants from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust Endowment Funds, Awards for All, Children in Need, national and local charitable Trusts, Friends groups and personal donations.

Now to the main part of the evening

Delighted to welcome Prof Stephen Clift, Professor of Health Education at the University of Canterbury Christchurch and Director of the Sidney de Haan Centre for Arts and Health there.

Particularly appropriate. The Centre researches the contribution of music and other participative arts activities in promoting the well-being and health of individuals and communities. To do this, it works actively alongside health and social care agencies and service users and contributes in the wider discussion and dissemination of their value. Stephen himself has worked in the field of health promotion for over 20 years. He established the Sidney de Haan Centre for Arts and Health in 2004

Stephen’s talk on Participating in the Arts – a Prescription for Health Improvement is also available

This report is also available to download as a PDF:

Abstract from Chairmans Introduction

Richard Taylor
30 October 2008