News

LAHF is currently undertaking a national survey to put together an up to date map of arts in health activity in England.  This research will also help create a searchable database which will be the central component of a new national website for arts in health www.cultureandwellbeing.org.uk.

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.

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.

In April the Mayor of London published the London Health Inequalities Strategy, setting out how the Greater London Authority (GLA) intends to tackle health inequalities in London and change the “stark and unacceptable differences in [Londoners’] wellbeing and longevity”.

On 19^th January, Arts Council England (ACE) opened their consultation on future priorities for the arts. ACE identified areas for development in the arts over the next ten years and asked for views to inform its long term strategy and next set of investment decisions.

Sponsored by a number of organisations, including the Society for the Arts in Healthcare, State of the Field: Arts in Healthcare 2009 sets out recommendations and a strategic direction to advance the arts in healthcare in the USA.

London Arts in Health Forum and Breakthrough have organised an event to offer support to artists and small arts organisations looking to raise their profile and build a better relationship with the media. This event will aim to help with making contact with the media, building relationships with the press and opinion formers and handling negative press coverage.

A report entitled After the Downturn, by the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, has announced that in the period 2011-2014 the arts may experience “cuts of 20% or more”.

Angie and Tony Russell of the charity Breakthrough have started an online petition to the Prime Minister to make 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.

Thanks to all of you (over 200) who took the time to fill in our online questionnaire last month. The results are really helpful to us as we try to deliver the best service possible for the arts in health sector. It was great to hear that so many of you value the newsletter and also found our events helpful.