LAHF News

As the number of subscribers to this newsletter has grown so significantly this year, we are planning to run a new survey in the next few weeks. This is a really helpful way of getting feedback from across the country and will have a definitive impact on the work we do. When you receive an email from us in the next few weeks, please take the time to fill in the survey and let us know what you think and then we can look to continue to improve the services we deliver through 2010.

We are in the process of revamping the LAHF website and one of the new features will be an online archive of London based arts in health projects. We are very keen for you to let us know about current or recent projects that you think should be included. So please send us details!

Please send no more than one side A4 of text explaining the project and up to five jpegs of no more than 1mb each to info@lahf.org.uk.

LAHF is planning a range of events over the coming months. A season beginning in September will build on LAHF's work with the British Association of Art Therapists to develop ways of sharing learning and developing practice. Events will examine the relationships between artists working in healthcare and arts therapists.

In October, LAHF will run a season of events looking at creativity and mental health. Events will include discussions of good practice in this field and an analysis of recent research into the links between creativity and mental wellbeing as well as showcases.

Also in the autumn we will be running events looking at the arts and healthy lifestyles, the way in which the arts can create healthy spaces and we will also be organising a number of tours of healthcare facilities with integrated arts programmes. For more details about any of our events, check out future newsletters or e: info@lahf.org.uk

In the past six months, the number of subscribers to the LAHF newsletter has doubled and now stands at over 1400. As the newsletter becomes more widely read, we are aware of the need to focus the articles that appear in the newsletter so that it remains a useful tool for all readers.

Over the next few months, the newsletter (and website) will be overhauled to keep pace with our expanding readership. One aspect of this will be a new set of newsletter guidelines for people wishing to submit information for the newsletter. Until this point, the newsletter will continue to be distributed at the beginning of each month and the deadline for receipt of information for inclusion will remain the 20th of each month.

We're always interested to hear your views about the newsletter or any ideas you have for things we should include (or not include). Do send comments and feedback to info@lahf.org.uk

Thanks to the nearly 300 of you (30% of our members) who completed our online survey. Initial findings have proved very interesting and will make a big difference to our plans for the year ahead. It is also really helpful to better understand you, our members and what you need from us.

Perhaps the most striking finding from the survey is the breadth of knowledge among our members and the considerable experience many of you have in the field. We hope to publish some of the headline findings from the survey on our website and will be looking to enact as many of your suggestions and recommendations over the coming months including more daytime events, events in outer London and making the website more interactive.

LAHF is currently surveying its members to find out what you need from us and how we can tailor our events and newsletter so that we support you and the wider arts in health sector most effectively.

To fill out the survey, please go to http://tinyurl.com/6qkps6 and answer the questions. The survey is short (honestly) so we would ask you to take a few minutes to fill it out before the deadline of January 19th. If you have any queries about the survey, do get in touch with info@lahf.org.uk

LAHF is keen to find out more about YOU! And, indeed, what we can do for you! LAHF is surveying its members to find out what you need from us and how we can tailor our events and newsletter so that we support you and the wider arts in health sector most effectively.

To carry out the survey, we have engaged a researcher, Emma Bonsall and you will receive an email from her in the next day or so. Don't worry - you won't be receiving dozens of emails and your details won't be passed on to anyone else, the results will just be used for us to improve our services for you.

The survey is short (honestly) so we would ask you to take ten minutes to fill it out before our deadline of January 19th. If you have any queries about the survey, do get in touch with info@lahf.org.uk

LAHF is currently finalising its next seasons of events to run from December 2008, to March 2009.

These two seasons will look at arts and health for children and young people and arts, the environment and sustainability.Details of events featuring in these seasons will be included in the next newsletter.

If you have a project or idea that you would like showcased in either of these seasons or would like to make suggestions for future seasons of LAHF events, please contact Damian@lahf.org.uk

Starting this autumn, LAHF is shaking up its events programme to put together seasons of events looking at specific areas of arts in health activity. Each season will be made up of 3 or 4 events on a common theme in a range of locations across London. The new seasons will enable us to cover key trends in arts in health in more detail and also to cover a wider geographical area. Seasons of events will also allow us to reflect on different practice in specific areas of arts and health and we will aim to produce reports on each season which will be available on our website and will be circulated to funders and decision makers in the sector in London and nationally.

Our first season of events kicks off in September and will look at issues in community arts in health practice. This will be followed by seasons looking at arts in health with children and young people and a winter/spring season looking at the environment and climate change. For more information about forthcoming seasons, to make suggestions for themes or to discuss ideas, e: Damian@lahf.org.uk

Following her appointment as Director, London, for Arts Council England and the award of a Fellowship from the Clore Leadership Programme, Amanda Smethurst is stepping down as the Chair of London Arts in Health Forum. Amanda has led the organisation for two years overseeing a quadrupling of the organisation's membership and the introduction of a monthly newsletter and an increase in the range and number of events LAHF hosts. We wish her all the best and would like to take this opportunity to thank her for her hard work as Chair and over the past six years as a Board member.

Guy Noble has been elected by the Board as the new Chair. Guy has been acting as Vice-Chair for the past eighteen months and has ten years experience within arts in health. He runs UCLH Arts at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Amanda said "I am really proud of the way that everyone involved in LAHF has worked together to develop the organisation over recent years, and have been delighted to be able to play a role in this. I look forward to seeing LAHF continue to grow and support arts in health practice across London, and I know that Guy Noble will successfully lead the organisation into an exciting phase as the new Chair."

LAHF has also welcomed four new board members - Victoria Hume (Arts Manager, rb&hArts, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals), the artist Gina Glover, Chris Hilton (Senior Registrar in Psychiatry, Chelsea and Westminster), and Jill Sheridan (a curator and researcher). All of the new board members bring a wealth of experience across the arts in health spectrum which will strengthen LAHF's work.