Written evidence submitted by London Arts
in Health Forum (LAHF) (arts 51)
SUMMARY:
This submission looks at the issue of funding
for the application of arts and wellbeing. The arts have a valuable
part to play in improving healthcare environments, improving medical
training, offering therapy to patients and providing opportunities
for participation and meaningful activity for patients. The contribution
the arts makes to the NHS is considerable and cost-effective,
there is a growing evidence base supporting the impact of the
arts on health. This area has historically struggled for support
from arts funders and tended to find support albeit piecemeal
from health providers. Given the current changes to healthcare
provision, much of this support is in jeopardy and the valuable
role of the arts in health may be lost. Serious consideration
should be given to greater support for this important area of
work from arts funding bodies and lottery funders.
About the author: London Arts in Health Forum
(LAHF) works to promote and support arts in health activity across
London and nationally.
1. LAHF promotes knowledge and understanding
of the arts in health care, showcases best practice in the field,
supports practitioners and encourages a strategic approach to
arts in healthcare nationally while forging links internationally.
The organisation is free to join and offers regular events, a
monthly newsletter, training sessions and advice and support for
artists, architects, clinical staff and anyone with an interest
in arts in health. It receives regular funding from Arts Council
England (£21,675 per annum). As of January 2009, LAHF has
2,180 members.
2. In recent years, a growing body of evidence
has been compiled exploring the potential of the arts to impact
on health and wellbeing. The evidence may now be mounting but
it is still a big challenge to make the case for supporting arts
in health when the public sector is facing the current spending
squeeze. The arts can have a profound impact on wellbeing. Up
and down the country, projects utilising the arts are directly
contributing to public health, community engagement, social wellbeing
and improved mental health. This is on top of the direct involvement
of artists in the improvement and development of the NHS estate
and the engagement of patients and service users in acute settings,
in GP practices and in social care. What is more, the diversity
and range of artforms employed in these activities is constantly
expanding and developing. The field of artists and practitioners
engaged in this work is growing rapidly. As the sector expands,
so too does understanding of the impact the arts can have on wellbeing:
research and evaluation is becoming more sophisticated, knowledge
is growing. The quality is improving. There are many examples
of great art in health on the new website www.cultureandwellbeing.org.uk
3. However, this work is built on shaky foundations.
For years, arts in health has struggled to earn the whole-hearted
support of the Arts Council and the Department of Health (DoH).
The sector continues to run the gauntlet of ill-informed press
comment and pockets of resistance within the NHS.
4. Arts in health has plenty in common with the
wider arts sector—it is subject to the same economic and
political pressures only perhaps more so. For years, this area
of work has relied on support from two sides—the arts and
health. Like many in the arts, organisations are now being squeezed
by the cuts to Arts Council and DCMS and by the pressure on trusts
and foundations. However, despite the ring-fencing of funding
for the NHS, there is also huge pressure on funding from the health
side. The building boom in the NHS—which generated a focus
on environmental improvements, especially in hospitals—has
now largely come to an end. Healthcare providers are rapidly changing
their output and there is a danger arts in health will not be
included.
5. Most of the artists and practitioners who
work to deliver arts in health work do so as individual artists
or as part of small organisations. Many rely almost entirely on
public support and have limited means of raising alternative income.
Community arts activities and opportunities for marginalised people
to participate in the arts have immense value but—as delivered
by individual artists and small organisations have limited fundraising
options.
6. It is worth noting that even if Lottery funding
to the arts increases, the reduction in Lottery funding to Big
Lottery will impact on community arts activities from the other
side. If the new Lottery cash is spent on, for example, buildings,
then these community arts groups could actually find the availability
of Lottery cash reduces under the new system.
7. Current funding arrangements for the arts
do not work effectively for this type of work. Arts Council England's
proposed changes will also limit opportunities for artists working
to deliver arts in health activity. This work is very difficult
to fund on a project basis. Ethically and practically, there are
huge difficulties in engaging in arts activities with audiences
and participants in the field of (for example) mental health solely
on a project basis yet longer term funding is unlikely to be offered
to even the most innovative and dynamic arts in health organisation.
Under the current and proposed funding system, the large arts
organisations prosper while small organisations and individual
artists working in community and social settings struggle.
8. A lot of work is currently being undertaken
to measure the impact of the arts on health. In June of this year,
the DCMS published its CASE review. In terms of demonstrating
the value of arts attendance and participation in health terms,
this shows a clear link—especially the section on Subjective
Wellbeing Measures (p35-39). http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/research/CASE-supersummaryFINAL-19-July2010.pdf
9. The Well London project—now drawing
to a close also demonstrates the value of arts participation.
http://www.london.gov.uk/welllondon/about/
10. What is lacking is clear links between DCMS,
Arts Council and the Department of Health to look into the means
of supporting arts and health. This could be facilitated through
the arts in health committee chaired by Professor Rob Smith in
the Department of Health and the staff in the DCMS and Arts Council
with knowledge and interest in this sector. Considerable funding
for arts activities comes from Primary Care Trusts, acute hospitals,
Foundation Trusts and healthcare charities and foundations. A
more proactive role for Arts Council England along with some dedicated
funding to support this area of work would help enormously to
develop this important area of work.
September 2010
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