...short and sweet

After last weeks conference season frenzy in Sydney, (and my very moderate response to the good, the bad and the ugly) this week has seen a significant shift in pace and a visit to the Titjikala Community in the Northern Territory at the invitation of an extended family in the community - to whom - my deepest thanks. I very much look forward to our working together.

With plenty of time for ruminating on the excellent conference last week and my own work, I’ve had a the opportunity to refine and develop my ideas which I’ll be excited to share on Tuesday 1st December at the sold-out, Arts Development UK, National Seminar: Arts, Health & Wellbeing. 

So - a brief posting this week from Alice Springs as I embark on the monstrously long journey home, and straight to Cardiff.

For those of you who’ve emailed, it may be later in the week before I get back to you, but in the meantime, here are 2 very interesting funding opportunities, both very relevant to our field of endeavour.

BBC Children in Need Main Grant Programme 

BBC Children in Need has announced that the next applications deadline for its Main Grants Programme has been changed from the 15th to the 13th January 2016. Through the programme funding is available to organisations that work with young people who:

Are suffering from illness

Are in distress

Suffer abuse or neglect

Are disabled

Have behavioural or psychological difficulties

And / or are living in poverty or situations of deprivation.

The Main grants programme is open to applications for grants of over £10,000.

Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3XW7FvN20PD3xr2c1T62Xly/main-grants  

Commonwealth Foundation 

(UK/International)

The Commonwealth Foundation has announced that its grants programme will re-open for applications on the 1st December 2015. The Foundation provides grants of up to £30,000 per year for up to three years, to support projects that promote the inclusion of civil society in decision-making processes within Commonwealth countries, enabling citizens to exercise voice and vote, and engage in policy formation. To be eligible for funding, organisation's needs to be a registered Civil Society Organisation (CSO) and must be based is a Commonwealth Foundation member Country. Grant projects must focus on one or more of the following:

Strengthening the ability of CSOs to use creative expression for participatory governance

Enhancing the capacity of CSOs, networks and alliances to engage in participatory governance

Facilitating interaction and constructive engagement in governance

Building a culture of learning and knowledge sharing.

The closing date for applications will be the 5th January 2016. Read more at:

http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/grants

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...it is time

Arts & Health Taskforce Announced 

This week saw the 7th Annual Art of Good Health and Wellbeing International Arts and Health Conference at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney. With a heady mix of research, policy and practice, the event brought together key figures from the field. This year proceedings were opened by former governor of New South Wales, Dame Marie Bashir who highlighted her personal commitment to the place of culture and the arts in a healthy society. Alongside the Vice Chancellor of the University of New South Wales, Professor Ian Jacobs, who stressed his institutions long-term commitment to developing arts and health research, Minister for Health, Jillian Skinner pledged the governments ongoing and proactive engagement with the field by announcing her establishment of a Ministerial Taskforce alongside conference convener Margret Meagher, to ‘ensure the benefits of the arts are shared system wide with patients, carers, staff and the wider community.’  Without doubt, this level of political commitment has happened thanks to the high level public advocacy of the Australian Centre for Arts and Health which consistently delivers events that broker new strategic alliances and very real working collaborations.

It’s always difficult to pick stand-out moments, both high and low,*(see below) from such a full conference, but my personal highlight was the joint presentation by Karin Diamond and Alison O’Conner from Re-Live, Life Story Theatre, in Wales. They exuded honesty and integrity and shared practice that was grounded in the day to day realities of people facing some of life's most difficult moments. Their presentation style was personable and compelling. I want more of this in the world please!! I found the research of Professor Jill Bennett riveting and the the expansive thinking of Errol Francis quite breathtaking. Then all those breakaways - too many to reflect on - although the work of Julie Collins around pre-natal care and the celebration of pregnant bellies in indigenous communities, was utterly absorbing. 

I was pleased to share a new piece of work that conjoins the theatrical ‘avant guard’ alongside our developing understanding of cultural value and health impact, and offered a gentle inquiry into how we might gain deeper understanding of the arts, not necessarily through the language of medicine, but perhaps with something of the conviction of a theoretical physicist. I hope to be uploading a version of this presentation to youtube very soon. 

Thanks to everyone who was free with their ideas, aspirations and friendship. Big congratulations too, to Anna Goulding, who justifiably won the award for Arts & Health Education & Research. Brilliant. Enduring thoughts too, of our friend Mike White.

Me Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen...the inbox is bulging with news of arts/health evaluation frameworks here, arts/health conferences there. So, as ever, if you’re interested, here’s a link to a new framework and here's a link to what is being billed as the first national arts/health showcase! First eh? No, it’s not being laid on by UKIP silly, but by husband and wife team, Vivienne Parry and Tim Joss and with its focus on enterprise and social purpose, it's targeting ‘health decision makers’- does that mean the general public?

Garfield Weston Foundation

The Foundation funds a broad range of activities and organisations, however, details from their annual report indicate that projects came under the following categories: Arts, Community, Education, Welfare, Medical, Faith, Youth and Environment. Trustees are flexible on who funding can be used. Organisations need to demonstrate how the funds can make the most difference – either by funding core costs (not salaries); or funding a specific project. There are no formal deadlines for submitting applications. Applications and supporting documents must be sent by post and you should allow approximately 4 months for a final outcome; for details of application process click: http://www.garfieldweston.org/how-to-apply/

BBC Children in Need – Small Grants Programme

Not for profit organisations such as such schools; registered charities; voluntary organisations; churches; and community interest groups; etc. can apply for grants of up to £10,000 through the BBC Children in Need Small Grants programme. The grants are available for projects that:

Help children and young people experiencing illness, distress, abuse or neglect

Any kind of disability

Behavioural or psychological difficulties

And / or living in situations of deprivation.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4fJVTzz5QmQx5rx0S4NVg0Q/small-grants

* Less palatable was the impromptu hijacking of the stage by Emma O’Brien, who alongside the in-yer-face Andy Howitzer Howitt, delivered a passive-aggressive Abbott and Costello style 'impromptu' routine, focused on hand washing and choreography, which resulted in some clumsy audience manipulation (should that say participation? er, no, I'll stick with manipulation) and a high-production and ultra glossy filmed dance, but will it really change behaviour, other than persuading the likes of me, that confrontational audience participation, isn't the best way forward. There’ll doubtlessly be one or two who enjoyed being shouted at, as part of this pseudo flash mob, but for my part, aggressively selling your product this way felt like arts/health totalitarianism. 

Just awful.

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On Monday this last week, a group of Arts & Health activists came together at HOME to explore our work and vision as part of a social movement, that largely grew in Manchester, and that could influence thinking and action as health and social care devolution kicks in across Greater Manchester next year. It’s early days to feedback in great detail, but safe to say our North West Arts and Health Network is at the heart of this conversation – so hopefully, we’ll have another big event here at the Manchester School of Art early next year. For now, you can read a relatively short blog posting about it from me on METROPOLIS, and for those of you who want to know more about the pros and cons of devolution, you can read a Kings Fund paper, fresh off the press by clicking HERE.

This blog may look a little bleak over the next couple of weeks as I spend time with friends and colleagues in Australia as part of the 7th Annual Art of Good Health and Wellbeing International Arts and Health Conference organised by the as ever inspiring, Margret Meagher of Arts and Health Australia.This will be a corker and I’m thrilled to be opening up proceedings with a new paper called ‘…all the time, the buzzing.’ More of that soon enough, but why all the bleakness on the blog? I normally manage to keep it going if I’m away from my desk. Alas – a small-scale tragedy of the everyday, stole away the very heart of my laptop. The hard drive – that thing we dread - has crashed. Being a resilient sort, I assumed it would just need turning on and off a few times, or else giving a tap on the side. But no: all things must die. Its time had come. The last back up I made was in early October and all my work since then has perished - everything. This includes the 30 minute film that I’d planned to share in Australia and in the UK in December. At least I have a print-out of the words! So – back to the drawing board and either a power-point (good grief) or else a miracle of time/space on an AirBus A380!!! 

Youth Music Grant Making Programmes 

Youth Music, England's largest children's music charity, which provides funding for music-making projects, has announced a new application deadline for its grant making programme. Grants are available to fund developmental music-making projects for children and young people up in challenging circumstances as well as projects that support the development of the workforce, organisations and the wider sector. The new funding programme is made up of three separate funds:

Fund A offers small grants (up to £30,000) for high quality music-making projects

Fund B offers medium-sized grants (30,001 - £100,000 per year) for larger programmes of work

Fund C offers grants (of up to £180,000) for strategic programmes to help embed sustainable, inclusive music-making across a local area.The types of organisations that are eligible to apply include charities, not for profit organisations and schools. Schools will however have to justify how to activities to be funded do not duplicate Department of Education funding. The closing dates for applications to Fund A is 5pm on the 22nd January 2016. Fund B and Fund C are currently closed to applications. Read more at:

http://network.youthmusic.org.uk/Funding/about-youth-musics-grants-programme

Grants to Help New, Innovative Visual Arts Projects 

The Elephant Trust has announced that the next deadline for applications is the 18th January 2016. The Trust offers grants to artists and for new, innovative visual arts projects based in the UK. The Trust's aim is to make it possible for artists and those presenting their work to undertake and complete projects when confronted by lack of funds. The Trust supports projects that develop and improve the knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the fine arts. Priority is now being given to artists and small organisations and galleries who should submit well argued, imaginative proposals for making or producing new work or exhibitions. Arts Festivals are not supported.

The Trust normally awards grants of up to £2,000, but larger grants may be considered. Read more at http://elephanttrust.org.uk/docs/intro.html

Wellcome Trust – Arts Awards 

The Wellcome Trust is inviting organisations and individuals to apply for funding through its Arts Awards. The Arts Awards support projects that engage the public with biomedical science through the arts. Applications are invited for projects of up to £40,000 through their small grants programme, and for projects above £40,000 through their large grant programme. The aim of the awards is to support arts projects that reach new audiences which may not traditionally be interested in science and provide new ways of thinking about the social, cultural and ethical issues around contemporary science. The next application deadline for small projects is the 27th November 2015. The deadline for large projects is the 17th February 2016. Read more at: http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/Public-engagement/Funding-schemes/arts-awards/index.htm

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1, 2, 3...

A, B, C
Alas - as the work/life balance spins hopelessly off course, this offering is modest - my apologies. I can however, point you in the direction of a Postgraduate Research & Teaching Assistant in the Arts and Health post, which looks interesting. Click HERE.

DEMENTIA & IMAGINATION
Making Connections Through Contemporary Art

“It wasn't just meeting people it was sharing an experience that was interesting. It made me connect to people again and that’s been so important to me.”

This Thursday and over the weekend, if any of you are in Derbyshire, please pop into an exhibition of artwork made by people with memory problems as part of a major national research study taking place in Derbyshire NHS services with creative sessions led by artists
from Nottingham Contemporary.
www.dementiaandimagination.org.uk 

12th – 14th November 2015.
Open 10 am – 3 pm
Open evening Thursday 12th November 6pm – 9pm

The Saints Parish Centre

St Mary’s and All Saints Church
(the Crooked Spire)
3 St Mary’s Gate,
Chestereld
Derbyshire
S41 7TG




Last week I shared the joint online initiative being hosted by the Australian Centre for Arts and Health, to give organisations the opportunity to share their work online with like-minded people. I’ve heard from such a lot of people who are doing brilliant things, here’s just one of many from the North West.

KNOCKING DOWN BARRIERS TO WELLBEING
Cartwheel Arts is a participatory arts charity, delivering Art for a Reason. As part of our programme of work focusing on arts and mental health, we deliver training and team building days for arts, voluntary and third sector organisations in creative group work, funding arts and health projects and working to increase wellbeing through creativity. What to know more? Click HERE.

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…Here & Now

The Australian Centre for Arts and Health is using part of their their website as a central focal point for Arts & Health Month, an initiative kick started by the Arts Health Network Canada. The whole idea is to pin your colours to the mast and upload a statement of support. Do this by clicking on the banner above. Below is an extract of my own submission and if you want to read more, click on the sinister void below.

Arts & Health in the Here and Now

There’s a feeling in the air. It’s hard to put a finger on it, but its certainly a shift. This ‘thing’ that we’re all part of - this Arts and Health - well, how can I start this off - put it succinctly - we’re evolving into a movement. {…} It may be ripples form our governments ‘austerity’ measures that’s causing a chain reaction, or it may simply be, we are more confident in who we are, and what we believe. {…} Perhaps though, we may be too dependent on those glassy eyed civil servants who dole out state-sponsored decrees on what constitutes ‘quality’ in the arts. Maybe it’s time to rethink how we are funded and who determines cultural value? I leave that question open.

We should however, keep our eyes out for the slick opportunists who are waiting in the wings - spotting a hole in the market to plug with their commodified quick fixes - standardising what it is we do and believe, into something to market, that’s devoid of meaning or integrity. Keep your eyes out for those selling snake-oil in a time of ‘austerity’. Keep sight of your own values and don’t be wrong-footed by the cult of materialism.

We have a real place in 21st century healthcare, but more than simply ameliorating against ill health, through our long-term participation in the arts in all their guises, we are part of a much wider cultural and public health shift, across the life-course, and potentially affecting positive generational change. The evidence is out there and our time is now. Let’s influence decision makers, create challenging work, and realise that we are part of something far bigger than our individual selves. 

We are a social movement populated by people who not only want social change, but are central to how that change comes about.

Craftivist Manifesto  

Craftivist, Sarah Corbett sent me this rather beautiful and considered Craftivist Manifesto this week. Feel free to share it far and wide, and if you fancy having a hand made version limited to 100 copies, click on the image above.

Worlds Apart, Worlds Unite - mind culture in time, place and society

Since 2013, the superb NOUS MAGAZINE have organised an annual mini-festival. This winter, As We Are Away will coincide with the launch of NOUS magazine’s winter issue,
NOUS 6: “Worlds Apart” commencing Thurs 3rd Dec. 2015, continuing till Thurs 10th Dec. 2015. What: As We Are Away - Part 2: "Worlds Apart, Worlds Unite” will take place on Friday, 4th December 2015, 6pm till 10.30pm @ The Wonder Inn (next to Shudehill Coach Station) and will require a small fee of £3 - £6 (concession: £1 - £3). More details nearer the time. 

Broken Grey Wires

I had the great pleasure of meeting artist, curator and activist Lizz Brady this week. Her work with Broken Grey Wires looks superb and I’m looking forward to working with her over the next few years. Want to know more?  Broken Grey Wires is a contemporary art organisation responding to and exploring mental health. We work closely with the community, critically acclaimed artists and major institutions, to open up a dialogue and provide inspiration and opportunities for people with mental health difficulties. The project will showcase innovative exhibitions within leading contemporary art spaces, alongside workshops and community involvement. Support has come from across the art scene, including Stuart Semple, who is currently an ambassador for the mental health charity Mind, Yinka Shonibare MBE, The Vacuum Cleaner, Daily Life Ltd, Everton in the Community, Jake and Dinos Chapman and David Shrigley. Broken Grey Wires welcomes you to explore mental health in contemporary art and invites you to look around, create, and be inspired by our absorbing, alternative world.

Taking Art to the People

Monday 2nd November, 4pm BBC Radio 4
“42nd Street are excited to announce that BBC Radio 4 will be broadcasting a documentary about The Ancoats Art Museum, how 42nd Street has taken inspiration from its story to create The Horsfall and the role of art in recovery and good mental health. They’ve been working to make the programme over the last couple of months and are delighted with the results. We are thrilled to be able to put Arts and Mental Health practice with young people on this national platform.” 
We hope you can listen in or use Listen Again and give us some feedback at @TheHorsfall

Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Charity Grants 
The Wallace & Gromit's Children's Charity provides grants of between £100 and £10,000 to registered charitable hospitals and hospices across the UK to enhance and enrich the quality of life of sick children in hospitals. 
The deadline for applications is 10th December 2015. Read HERE.

£4 Million Fund for Video Game Development 

The government has launched a £4 million fund for the UK's video games industry. Aimed at helping smaller companies move concepts into production, from 2015 to 2019 the Video Games Prototype Fund will offer grants of up to £25,000 to support video games projects, as well as creating jobs, nurturing talent and furthering the growth of games clusters all around the UK. Grants of up to £50,000 will also be available for a limited number of projects to take their ideas beyond the prototype phase. It will also fund talent development initiatives, which will include competitions for students and graduate teams to create and showcase new games, mentoring for businesses and individuals, and opportunities for talented individuals to work on games prototype projects. The first call for applications will be issued soon. Read more by clicking on the healthy scenario above.  

Artists International Development Fund 

The next application deadline for the Arts Council England's Artists International Development Fund is the 13th January 2016. This funding stream is for artists to develop links with artists, organisations and/or creative producers in other countries. Freelance and self-employed artists can apply for small grants of £1,000 to £5,000 to spend time building these links to broaden your horizons and open your work to other perspectives. The programme is open to emerging and mid-career artists working in combined arts, literature, music, theatre, dance, visual arts and crafts and design. You must have received recognition for your work in England and not have extensive international experience. Your application must also include a letter of support from the overseas partner/host. Read more by clicking on the hypnotic Tokyo street scene above. 

Project Officer Healthy Living & Creative Design, Blackpool Council

Temporary Post for 18 months, Full Time (37hrs per week)
Salary scale: H1 £28,746 to £30,978
Ref: PL025
Deadline: Monday, 9th November at 12 noon
This is an exciting opportunity to work with the Arts and Planning Services and Blackpool Public Health. You will be based in the Arts Team and develop and lead on the delivery of a range of ‘action-research’ projects. These projects will demonstrate how a healthy living and well-being approach to redeveloping the built environment can positively impact on the lives of people in Blackpool.

You will advocate for the role of artists and other creative professionals in designing a quality built environment and public realm where appropriate; working with staff and external partners on commissioning artists in Blackpool to produce models of good practice. The deadline for applications is Monday, 9th November at 12 noon; this role has received funding from Arts Council England. For full details click on the photo above.

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