Background:
In 2021-22, following the successful delivery of a pilot creative prescribing project in Langholm during lockdown, and with support from SOSE, NHS Endowment Fund and Holywood Trust, OPA carried out a 6-month research and development project to map existing creative wellbeing strategies and stakeholders, scope opportunities, and potential partnerships and identify and co-design next steps via engagement and consultation. The project marked a significant step forward for creative wellbeing in D&G, with key strategic and delivery partnerships formed as a result. Through these new relationships, we accessed target participant groups – allowing us to pin-point needs, understand barriers and inequalities, and create responsive programmes of activities.
This work resulted in ‘DG Creative Wellbeing’ – a ground-breaking programme of impactful arts activities, projects events, and interventions across D&G, working in communities, care and healthcare settings, currently supported by National Lottery Community Fund, The Holywood Trust, People's Postcode Trust and Dumfries & Galloway Health Board Endowment Fund.
With support from D&G Health Board Endowment Fund, OutPost Arts have formed an important partnership with NHS D&G, coordinating an embedded Art in Healthcare programme across regional healthcare sites. A regional cross-sector Creative Wellbeing Network has also been established – creating an accessible platform to share and discuss creative wellbeing themes, nurture collaboration, and amplify art and culture’s important connection to health and wellbeing in our region.
Read the 2023-25 project report:
This work resulted in ‘DG Creative Wellbeing’ – a ground-breaking programme of impactful arts activities, projects events, and interventions across D&G, working in communities, care and healthcare settings, currently supported by National Lottery Community Fund, The Holywood Trust, People's Postcode Trust and Dumfries & Galloway Health Board Endowment Fund.
With support from D&G Health Board Endowment Fund, OutPost Arts have formed an important partnership with NHS D&G, coordinating an embedded Art in Healthcare programme across regional healthcare sites. A regional cross-sector Creative Wellbeing Network has also been established – creating an accessible platform to share and discuss creative wellbeing themes, nurture collaboration, and amplify art and culture’s important connection to health and wellbeing in our region.
Read the 2023-25 project report:
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IMPACTSupported over 1500 people across all participatory programmes.
Engaged over 500 NHS D&G staff in programme activities. Hosted exhibitions which have attracted audiences of over 30,000 people. Held creative health and wellbeing events attended by over 600 people. Created over 100 artist commissions. |
Community creative prescribing:
The Community strand features adult (Art Journal Project) and youth (Creative Toolbox) creative prescribing initiatives. We receive referrals from health, social care and third sector services, schools and parents. Participants aged 18+ are able to self-refer. The project has also created new, positive pathways for participants towards destinations such as formal education, employment and creative enterprise.
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The Care ProjectIn 2024, OutPost Arts forged a relationship with Scottish Care to pilot a creative engagement project in x3 care homes across D&G. The project's main aims - to support the wellbeing of staff and residents through creative participation and to encourage everyone to enjoy art - were thoroughly achieved, but this ambitious project also sought to ask and answer important questions that might help us to plan future initiatives and activities; allowing stakeholders to co-design next steps.
We're excited to continue to work with Scottish Care and our regional and national arts/culture partners to fulfil the creative ambitions of everyone involved, and develop this project further from 2026 onwards. |
Read the pilot Care Project report below:
A Manifesto for Creative Wellbeing:Having evaluated the delivery of the DG Creative Wellbeing project across the region, our 'Manifesto for Creative Wellbeing in Dumfries & Galloway' has distilled knowledge and learning into 6 key themes.
By using plain language, engaging illustrations and layouts to communicate the themes clearly and the messages that have informed them, we hope that the Manifesto can be used as an accessible, evidence-based foundation for future action and creativity - helping guide and anchor new creative health and wellbeing focused initiatives and strategies. The Manifesto was launched at our inaugural Creative Health & Wellbeing Symposium in February 2024 (right). It’s not just words - the Manifesto is an agenda for change, and it is for ALL of us. |
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