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LAHF June 2010 Newsletter

1 June 2010
Welcome to LAHF’s June 2010 newsletter, free of charge and available to all! To sign up visit www.lahf.org.uk and please feel free to forward to any colleagues or friends you think might find it interesting.
If you have trouble viewing this newsletter please go to http://www.lahf.org.uk/lahf-newsletter/lahf-june-2010-newsletter to view it online.
 

National Database of Arts In Health                                                                                                         News

LAHF is currently undertaking a national survey to put together an up to date map of arts in health activity in England. This map will take the form of a database on the new national website for arts in health www.cultureandwellbeing.org.uk due to go live in July. The database will include organisations and individuals which provide arts in health activities and will be a resource for health providers across the country when the website goes live this summer. The deadline for inclusion in this database is Friday 11th June so make sure you and your organisation are represented by filling in the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/cultureandwellbeing
 

Arts Council Cuts                                                                                                                     National News

Following the new Government’s implementation of £6bn of cuts across Whitehall, Arts Council has announced that it will be required to make cuts to its budget of £19m in this financial year. The Arts Council has said it will be impossible to make these savings solely from running costs so some cuts are likely to funded organisations and grants. More information on this is likely to follow.
 

England LAHF Charitable Status                                                                                           LAHF News

In May LAHF received its charitable status from the Charities Commission. We hope that this will enable us to work more visibly and effectively towards our goal of working with practitioners from both the arts and healthcare sectors to promote, research, improve and develop greater awareness of the benefits of the arts on health and wellbeing.
 

Cooltan Project Developer                                                                                                   Opportunities

CoolTan Arts is looking for a Project Manager to deliver the ‘Largactyl Shuffle’ programme. The project celebrates mental health and wellbeing through regular guided cultural walks. The Largactyl Shuffle Project Developer will work with the Chief Executive, participant steering group and Board to deliver public artworks on the route of the now established walk. The successful applicant will have at least five years experience in developing arts projects with public outcomes. The salary for this post is £28,000 pro rata and the deadline for applications is 18th June. w. www.cooltanarts.org.uk.
 

2010 London Health Commission Awards                                                                    Opportunities

The deadline to apply for London Health Commission’s 2010 London Health Commission Awards is this Friday 4th June. The biannual awards are a celebration and recognition of the achievements of London’s community groups and SMEs in improving health and wellbeing in the capital.
Categories include: Community action on health and wellbeing, Good jobs – good for health and good for business and Well London.
The deadline for applications is 4th June, w. www.london.gov.uk/lhc/awards/
 

Australia Conference                                                                                                            Opportunities

Organised by Arts and Health Australia, the 2nd international ‘Art of Good Health and Wellbeing’ arts and health conference will take place in Australia from 16th – 19th November at the Sidney Myer Asia Centre, University of Melbourne. The 2010 conference program will encompass arts and health in five streams – primary and acute care, community health, health promotion, medical education and research.
Organisers have announced a call for papers to be submitted by 30th June.
 

Arts and Mental Health Petition to the Prime Minister                                                          National News

An online petition to encourage support for arts in mental health is nearing its deadline. The petiton on the Downing Street website makes a call for greater resources available within the NHS and Local Authorities for the use of arts as an aid to recovery, wellbeing and social inclusion for people with mental health problems. The deadline for signing the petition is 10th July 2010.
 

Creative Director, Claremont Project                                                                                  Opportunities

The Claremont Project in Islington are looking to recruit a new Creative Director. The role is full time, £29,700 pa, and requires creativity, leadership and good administrative skills to run Claremont’s busy and wide-ranging programme of activities. Claremont has a day centre from where they offer a range of low cost community-based psychotherapies, arts psychotherapies, and arts-in-health projects and workshops. The centre also offers psychotherapy, music therapy, drama therapy, art therapy, animal assisted therapy and a whole range of creative projects geared towards personal development, well being and mental health for people of all ages.
Closing date for applications is 12th June, w. http://www.charityjob.co.uk/seekers/jobdetails.aspx?jobid=174745
 

Royal Society for Public Health ‘Arts and Health Awards’                                                  Opportunities

The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has opened the application process for its 2010 Arts and Health Awards. The awards have been designed in reaction to the Marmot Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England’s finding of the continuing existence ‘social gradients’ in all aspects of health. Original contributions to arts and health inequalities research and evaluation and innovative initiatives in arts and health practice in healthcare or community settings are eligible for the awards. The awards are open to both individuals and organisations and applications should be received by 2nd July.
 

Over the Moon, Report on Drama and Dementia                                                               General News

On 5th May, Central & Cecil Housing Care Support launched their report Over the Moon, an evaluation of an innovative drama project provided by theatre company Ladder to the Moon at Rathmore House care home in Camden. Written by Maria Parsons, formerly of the London Centre for Dementia Care, the report concluded that a sample of residents living with dementia experienced improvements in wellbeing as a result of the project.
 

Concertina Charitable Trust Grant                                                                                           Opportunities

The Concertina Charitable Trust Grant is available to charities and third sector organisations in the UK to support cultural and music projects for elderly people. Applications are accepted throughout the year but the next submission deadline is 30th June.
 

Libraries Deliver Health and Wellbeing Support                                                                    Research

On 21st May the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council published research highlighting “English public libraries’ significant contribution to health and wellbeing in communities”. The study was carried out by The Reading Agency and Department of Information and Science at Loughborough University and revealed 1,109 current activities at English libraries related to health and wellbeing. These included health information; providing community space; Books on Prescription and computerised cognitive behavioural therapy sessions.
The report’s found that three quarters of all activities are carried out alongside health and social care partners in local authorities; that libraries provide a neutral, non-stigmatised, non-clinical space and that Macmillan Cancer Support professionals view libraries as providing an important community element that is missing from hospitals.
 

Taking Part – Arts, Culture and Civil Society conference                                                     Opportunities

Jointly hosted by Goldsmiths, University of London and Southbank Centre the Taking Part – Arts, Culture and Civil Society conference will take place 29th – 30th October. The conference will focus on issues including inequality, whether the arts and culture could be making a more dynamic contribution to the development of our civil society and working together with third sector organisations to tackle inequalities.
The organisers have announced a call for papers, provocations and performances, deadline for submissions is 25th June, w. www.gold.ac.uk/taking-part
                                                                                 

How Doctors Can Close the Gap                                                                                                      Events

How Doctors Can Close the Gap: Tackling Social Determinants of Health Through Culture Change, Advocacy and Education is an event taking place at the Royal College of Physicians on 10th June. The event is open to all, including third sector organisations, and will look at social determinants of health, leadership issues and education needs.
 

Hospital Arts Programme Summer Internships                                                                       Opportunities

Elixir Arts and Gallery at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich are looking to recruit a number of interns during June, July and August to assist with the administration and promotion of projects including Elixir Gallery and the Well Tuned music volunteers programme. The internships are suited to students or graduates requiring hands on experience in arts administration, marketing or management in a community or healthcare context.
Expenses will be paid, days required are Monday and Tuesday and applicants do not need to be available for all three months.
To apply, e. Jeanie.mcnulty@nhs.net    
 

End of Life Care: Why the Arts Matter, Symposium                                                             Other Events

Presented by St Christopher’s Hospice in London is this 2 day symposium exploring the arts in end of life care. Taking place on the 5th and 6th November the symposium will bring together leaders in the field as well as presenting a range of current innovations and important areas of policy, theory and practice.
Places cost £100 per day, e. education@stchristophers.org.uk
 

It’s All About Art                                                                                                                            Events

The Society for All Artists (SAA) have organised It’s All About Art, a three day art event running from 22nd – 24th July at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London. Features of the three day event will be art demonstrations, workshops, the chance to meet top professionals from The Painting and Drawing Channel, a shop selling the very latest art materials and the SAA’s Artist of the Year competition exhibition.
Tickets on the door are £10 but LAHF newsletter subscribers can get two tickets for £15 when booked before 9th July using the code AE107, w. www.saa.co.uk t. 0800 980 1123
 

Unfolding Exercise, Exhibition at Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals                            Exhibitions

Opening on 16th June at Harefield Hospital and 17th June at the Royal Brompton Hospital, Unfolding Exercise is an exhibition of silhouette portraits and a mini shadow theatre. Artist and physiotherapist Jennie Pedley was inspired to make the work on display by both exercise manuals and exploring memories and dreams of exercise with staff and patients at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals.
Funded by the Wellcome Trust and in collaboration with Royal Brompton and Harefield Arts the exhibition will tour to other London venues.
 
If you have any items you would like to be considered for the June issue of the LAHF newsletter please email them to info@lahf.org.uk by 23rd June. We always welcome input and feedback so please feel free to email us at info@lahf.org.uk