Wales and Greece Integrate Arts into National Health Systems
Wales and Greece are now blending arts and culture into their health strategies. Heledd Fychan, the culture minister from Plaid Cymru in Wales, announced an initiative to merge arts programs with health services, backed by a £6.8 million investment from the Arts Council of Wales since 2022-23. Meanwhile, Greece's 'cultural prescription' program has been integrated into its Greece 2.0 recovery plan, allowing health professionals to suggest art activities for improving mental health. In June, the Jameel Arts & Health Lab launched the second Healing Arts Scotland and a new Healing Arts initiative in Birmingham. After an April roundtable in Parliament, the report UK Arts & Health: The Time is Now was released, with Simon Opher MP championing the arts in NHS policies, supported by Justin Varney-Bennett's research. Daisy Fancourt aims to expand global studies on 'arts on prescription,' while artist Lakwena Maciver emphasizes art's healing power.
Key facts
- Wales and Greece are integrating arts into national health systems.
- Heledd Fychan is Wales' new culture and sports minister.
- Welsh government's First 100 Days plan includes a review of culture, arts, and sport spending.
- Arts Council of Wales invested £6.8m in arts and health grants since 2022-23.
- Greece's 'cultural prescription' scheme is now statutory policy under Greece 2.0.
- Jameel Arts & Health Lab launched Healing Arts Scotland and Healing Arts Birmingham in June.
- UK Arts & Health: The Time is Now policy brief launched after April parliamentary roundtable.
- Daisy Fancourt appointed Unesco chair in arts and global health.
Entities
Artists
- Lakwena Maciver
- Daisy Fancourt
- Heledd Fychan
- Stephen Stapleton
Institutions
- Arts Council of Wales
- Welsh NHS Confederation
- National Health Service (NHS)
- Senedd
- Plaid Cymru
- Jameel Arts & Health Lab
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- Healing Arts Scotland
- Healing Arts Birmingham
- Birmingham Symphony Hall
- Ikon Gallery
- House of Commons
- National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH)
- UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport
- Unesco
- University College London
- The Art Newspaper
- BBC
- WHO Regional Office for Europe
- NHS Tonic Collection
- NHS Lothian
- Art in Healthcare
- Nordic School of Arts and Health
- Arts in Health website
Locations
- Wales
- UK
- Greece
- Morecambe
- Birmingham
- England
- London
- Europe
- Scandinavia
- Scotland
- Denmark
- Sweden