Arts & Health South West Podcast

Georgia Bowers is an applied theatre practitioner, researcher and academic currently undertaking her PhD at the University of Portsmouth and her research is interested in learning about how theatre can be used to disrupt the established narratives around ageing, and the impact this may have on participants. Georgia speaks about the ways that applied theatre might be able to create shame resilience among older adults. Georgia's interest in this area started from a summer job as an activities coordinator in a care home, which provoked her to address her pre-conceptions about working with older adults and instead open up and be inspired by the vibrance and energy of her collaborators. She then began to develop an applied theatre practice by setting up a theatre company within the care home which helped the collective of residents tell their stories, learn about each other and build community. Her research builds on these experiences and seeks to measure what difference theatre can make to adults over 65 who take part in a regular theatrical intervention.

In this episode, Hannah talks to Rajeshree Sisodia about Creative Writing for Therapeutic Purposes, and Vedic Meditation, and how Rajeshree brings these two practices together. Midway through the episode Rajeshree leads listeners through a 20 minute guided therapeutic writing activity, exploring inner landscapes and feelings of belonging. The episode is rounded off with a discussion of Rajeshree's research practice, and the potential benefits of broadening academic perspectives beyond western frames of reference, so that we might "deepen our understanding of emotional geographies". You can get in touch with Rajeshree and find out more about her practice, 'Well Through Words' at www.wellthroughwords.org Sound effects used in the creative writing activity were created by Alexander Gastrell, and obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com

This episode is a conversation between AHSW General Manager Hannah, Katrina Millar and Kirstie Millar, the creators of Ache magazine. Ache is an intersectional feminist publisher exploring illness, health, bodies and pain. The discussion explores the ways writing can be used as a vehicle for opening up irrational, subversive narratives about bodies, and how this can be a way of resisting the rational medical discourse on health. Other areas this episode touches on are personal experiences of Endometriosis, eating disorders and health anxiety, ways to approach health from a more intersectional perspective, and exploring illness creatively within a community. Find out more about Ache magazine at their website: https://achemagazine.co.uk/ You can buy Cusp, a new collection of feminist writing exploring bodies, myth and magic via their online shop: https://achemagazine.bigcartel.com Follow Ache on social media to hear about upcoming workshops and events, and future submission announcements: https://www.instagram.com/helloachemagazine/ https://twitter.com/ache_magazine Here are some more links related to the topics covered in the episode: --Race and Health is a collective of academics, artists, activists and individuals seeking to reverse the harmful effects racism and discrimination has on health. Website: https://raceandhealth.org/ / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raceandhealth/ --Cori Smith is a trans man living with endometriosis. In this essay Cori speaks on the difficulties he has encountered when seeking gynaecological healthcare as a trans man: https://thoughtcatalog.com/cori-smith/2019/09/what-its-like-to-have-endometriosis-as-a-transgender-man/ —Endometriosis UK is a national charity that offers valuable resources for individuals who think they might have endometriosis or are living with the condition: https://endometriosis-uk.org/understanding-endometriosis —BEAT is a national eating disorder charity with information, resources and support: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/ —Black Minds Matter is an organisation connecting black individuals with free mental health services and offering valuable mental health resources: https://www.blackmindsmatteruk.com

In this episode, Hannah Mumby (AHSW General Manager) is joined by Jakki Weaden, a former nurse from Bristol who talks about her journey from working in nursing to now building a creative vocation in basketry-making. They share a conversation about the parallels between basketry, wound care, and horticulture; the metaphors associated with care and weaving; and the resourceful creative outlook needed to work in nursing. You can find Jakki’s work on Instagram at @jakkiweaden

Welcome to this podcast series of Stories from 2020. These stories come from our Annual Conference in November. The sixth story is from Sophie Harbour, Engagement Officer at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery in Exeter, who talks about their online and offline project 'RAMM at Home', which encouraged young people to create their own collections inspired by the museum and a challenge to build their own mini museum. RAMM website: https://rammuseum.org.uk Interview with Sophie by AHSW’s Communications Intern, Abbi Bayliss: https://www.ahsw.org.uk/blog/interview-with-royal-albert-memorial-museum-art-gallerys-sophie-harbour/

Welcome to this podcast series of Stories from 2020. These stories come from our Annual Conference in November. The fifth story is from Pippa Jones, Director of Create Gloucestershire and and Abi Nicol, Fine Art Printmaker and Photographer, who talk about their work with artists to support people and communities during lockdown. Create Gloucestershire website: https://www.creategloucestershire.co.uk Abi Nicol’s website: http://www.abinicol.co.uk

Welcome to this podcast series of Stories from 2020. These stories come from our Annual Conference in November. The fourth story is from Rosie Mead, founder and CEO of Musica Music and Wellbeing, which supports people with dementia and their caregivers. Rosie talks about her work during Covid-19 to provide online learning and coaching for caregivers and an on-demand music activity service for Care Homes. Musica website: https://musica-music.co.uk

Welcome to this podcast series of Stories from 2020. These stories come from our Annual Conference in November. The third story is from Dr Louise Younie, GP and Medical Educator, who talks about her work during Covid-19 lockdown which invited students to co-create a virtual creative enquiry programme, which they titled ‘Interpretive Voices’ The Creative Enquiry website: https://www.creativeenquiry.qmul.ac.uk

Welcome to this podcast series of Stories from 2020. These stories come from our Annual Conference in November. The second story is from Janine Valentine, Consultant Nurse Older People at Yeovil Hospital, and Jenny Walters, Senior Supervisor Housekeeping at Yeovil Hospital, who share stories from the Covid Chronicles, a creative writing project to explore staff experiences during the pandemic.

Welcome to this podcast series of Stories from 2020. These stories come from our Annual Conference in November. The first story is from Dr Will Hirst, a junior doctor who was working at the Great Weston Hospital Swindon during the first wave of the pandemic. He was part of the front door team, which included the emergency department and the covid assessment team.

In this episode, Hannah is joined by Alex Coulter (Director of AHSW) and artists Natasha, Gavin and Max. All 5 reflect on their experience of being involved in the 2020 Spring School just before lockdown, where the theme was 'making new meaning from illness', and where we explored using creative activities to support resilience and wellbeing. We talk about how we have each used creativity in times of isolation to "extend ourselves beyond our situations", and share thoughts on how creativity can enable you to be still and yet flourish and connect in other ways, and make the process of "relating" into something very beautiful. Natasha, Gavin and Max share the ways they feel that they have learned to cope with isolation, before Covid-19, and we think about how isolation can operate in many different ways, for instance when you're in a group of people that perceive you to be different. We discuss what "productivity" means to each of us and how we might challenge this idea, drawing out what it might mean to nurture a sense of purpose, value and meaning in our lives. Some links to what we mentioned in the conversation: AHSW Spring School info: https://www.ahsw.org.uk/opportunities/spring-school/ Alex's Blog: https://www.ahsw.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Spring-School-Blog-Alex-Coulter.pdf Max's Blog: https://www.ahsw.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Max-Frances-Absentee-Artist-Blog-Spring-2020.pdf Grayson Perry's Art Club: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/graysons-art-club Covid-19 Resources Page: https://www.ahsw.org.uk/resources/covid-19-resources/

Our guest for this episode is Hugh McCann, a Southwest based artist with an interest in wellbeing, public space, technology and participation. Along with playwright and mental health nurse Cally Hayes, he recently co-founded 'Alright Mate? CIC' which aims to destigmatise male mental health one art project at a time. Their work is always participatory and so far includes installations in barbershops, books written by veterans and theatre in community spaces. Alright Mate? aim to normalise conversations around male mental health, in order to reduce needless suffering. ________ LINKS: Alright Mate website: https://alrightmateproject.com (Here you can also find information about participating in Alright Mate’s upcoming projects about fathers/fatherhood and the construction industry!) Download a digital copy of the Veterans Project Book: https://alrightmateproject.com/notalone CoLab Exeter, an integrated wellbeing and innovation hub that works in collaboration with agencies across sectors to strengthen local services and achieve positive whole community outcomes around homelessness, addiction, (re)offending, and health inequality: https://www.colabexeter.org.uk Veterans Change Partnership, a CIC which aims to provide programmes of rehabilitation and support for and to former military veteran offenders and their families: http://veteranschangepartnership.co.uk

Arts & Health South West is a partner in an Erasmus Plus funded project called Art & Social Change, which is developing an experiential art training programme for health workers who work in addiction and recovery. This is the fourth episode in a special podcast series that explores the work, expertise, and stories of the people doing this work, and what the research is showing the arts & health sector. In this podcast, we explore two parallel policy movements (Cultural Welfare and Social Prescribing) and the ideologies and work behind them, by speaking to Elisa Fulco, an art curator and consultant for cultural projects in Italy and Alex Coulter, the Director of Arts & Health South West in the UK. LINKS: Acrobazie Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Acrobaziemadinitaly/posts/ AHSW website: https://ahsw.org.uk Creative Health report: https://www.artshealthandwellbeing.org.uk/appg-inquiry/ For case studies from the Art & Social Change project’s training programmes, and a range of other resources for more information about the use of art in addiction, recovery, and to combat healthworker burn-out at www.artandsocialchange.eu

Arts & Health South West is a partner in an Erasmus Plus funded project called Art & Social Change, which is developing an experiential art training programme for health workers who work in addiction and recovery. This is the third episode in a special podcast series that explores the work, expertise, and stories of the people doing this work, and what the research is showing the arts & health sector. In this episode we speak with representatives of 'recovery cafes' in Lithuania and the UK to learn about what these venues are and why they are important to addiction and recovery. Joining us are Agne Bykova from Mano Guru, in Vilnius Lithuania and Pete Davies, from CasCade Creative Recovery in Brighton in England. LINKS: Mano Guru - Email address info@manoguru.lt - they are really searching for partners willing to change best practice, and to hear from other people. Please write to them. - Mano Guru can be found at Vilniaus g. 22, Labdarių gatvė 1, Vilnius 01402, Lithuania Cascade Creative Recovery - Website https://www.cascadecreativerecovery.org - Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CascadeCreativeRecovery/?ref=br_rs - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cascadecreativerecovery/ - Cascade Coffee Shop can be found at 24 Baker St, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 4JN Also mentioned: - Portraits of Recovery (PORe), Manchester UK: https://www.portraitsofrecovery.org.uk - The UK Recovery Declaration of Rights: http://www.facesandvoicesofrecoveryuk.org/uk-recovery-declaration-rights/ For case studies from the Art & Social Change project’s training programmes, and a range of other resources for more information about the use of art in addiction, recovery, and to combat healthworker burn-out at www.artandsocialchange.eu

Arts & Health South West is a partner in an Erasmus Plus funded project called Art & Social Change, which is developing an experiential art training programme for health workers who work in addiction and recovery. This is the second episode in a special podcast series that explores the work, expertise, and stories of the people doing this work, and what the research is showing the arts & health sector. In this episode we speak with three artists involved with the project: Arturas Dubaka (Lithuania), Giorgio Caione (Italy), and Kate Lodge McCoy (UK). Links: Art & Social Change Website: http://www.artandsocialchange.eu Art & Social Change Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/artandsocialchangeEU/ (UK) Small Performance Adventures: https://smallperformanceadventures.com 'The Washing Up': https://smallperformanceadventures.com/the-washing-up-project/ Cascade Creative Recovery: https://www.cascadecreativerecovery.org Portraits of Recovery: https://www.portraitsofrecovery.org.uk Bristol Drugs Project: https://www.bdp.org.uk Fallen Angels Dance Theatre: http://www.fallenangelsdancetheatre.co.uk The Recoverist Manifesto: https://issuu.com/artsforhealth/docs/rm_online_version (Lithuania) Mano Guru restaurant: http://www.manoguru.lt

Literature Works - Poetry and Memory Loss (11/09/2018) by Arts & Health South West

Arts & Health South West is a partner in an Erasmus Plus funded project developing an experiential art training programme for health workers who work in addiction and recovery. This special podcast series is exploring the work, expertise, and stories of the people doing this work, and what the research is showing the arts & health sector. In this episode we speak to Nuccia Cammara and Dr Theo Stickley about the use of the arts in healthcare settings and in working with people in addiction and recovery, and also about healthcare worker burnout. Nuccia Cammara's work as a social worker in addiction contexts in Sicily, Italy is a foundation to the Art & Social Change project. She is an addiction worker, but she is also an artist. Dr Theo Stickley brings the training and experience of being a mental health nurse and educator. Theo's work and research also attests to the use of participatory arts - particularly in mental health recovery. Find out more about the Art & Social Change Project at http://www.artandsocialchange.eu

In this episode, the first in our Challenge Fund series, we hear from Simon Ripley and Fiona Lovell at Double Elephant Print Workshop in Exeter. In the second half of the episode you can also hear some wonderful snapshots from one of their printmaking sessions. Simon and Fiona talk to Hannah about the challenges of an organisation in its 21st year trying to secure continuing funding. Double Elephant Print Workshop has from the beginning been a shared space where people can come and feel supported in a friendly environment, and interact with happenings in the studio or have space to work under their own steam, and then feel empowered to carry on some of the techniques they’ve learnt, at home. You can find out more about Double Elephant and their courses and workshops by visiting their website at www.doubleelephant.org.uk. Throughout the next few months we’ll be helping them fundraise to support the amazing work they’ve been doing, as part of our Challenge Fund 2018. You can make a donation at https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=RLuWpJ9S3hAQEVsk9BIna8GgqrLGc8ptfULOJmh4GtB9PDDuyCV90yBIp3F5PivBFFGvVm&country.x=GB&locale.x=GB and AHSW will match it!

In this podcast Hannah speaks to the artist George Harding. They explore the process of making his painting Pink Rain and Pain, and discuss the mystery of people seeing different things in the image or the playfulness of hearing someone describe it in their own words. They talk about bringing art that wouldn’t usually be seen, into prestigious institutions: maybe the challenges involved in getting your art into the world through the traditional channels has created a need for a different kind of framework for a different kind of art experience. There is a real tension for all art-makers between finding a way to support yourself while at the same time satisfying the urge to create. George explains that sometimes it’s necessary to find a way to do that on your own terms. View George's painting 'Pink Rain and Pain' in his Outside In online gallery here: https://goo.gl/SLDfFL View the PDF of the Alternative Visions exhibition catalogue here: https://goo.gl/xnQYss Visit George's website: http://www.georgejharding.co.uk Visit the Bethlem Gallery website: http://bethlemgallery.com

In this episode, Hannah speaks to artist Max Frances about how her artworks explore the difference between what we present to the outside world and what we are experiencing on the inside. They talk about creating art your own way, whether that’s through the support of an art class or by drawing on the back of receipts; and how doodling can be an easy way to commit to making art every day. Max's piece 'Hidden' which is in the Alternative Visions exhibition: http://www.outsidein.org.uk/domains/outsidein.org.uk/local/cache/img_7270.jpg141x220_Q90.jpg VultureArts Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VultureArts/ Max's Outside In gallery: http://www.outsidein.org.uk/?location_id=5390 ArtShape website: https://artshape.co.uk Art Bridge course: https://artshape.co.uk/pages/art-bridge Take our doodle challenge! Upload your doodles to Twitter and use the hashtag #alternativevisions

Our guest for this episode is artist Roger Davison who is exhibiting his work in the Alternative Visions: Undiscovered Art in the South West exhibition which has been touring galleries in the South West during 2017-18. We talk about school art rooms, studios and sheds as spaces of 'refuge', how art and creativity have been a part of Roger’s life since his childhood in such a way that 'sustains' him, and discuss how he feels about the term 'outsider art'. Alternative Visions Exhibition information: http://www.outsidein.org.uk/alternative-visions Remaining tour dates: - Poole Museum 21st March - 6th May 2018 (http://www.poolemuseum.co.uk/whats-on/future-exhibitions/) Roger's Outside In online gallery: http://www.outsidein.org.uk/Roger-Davison1 How to join Outside In: http://www.outsidein.org.uk/how-to-register

In this episode I speak to Lizzie Bond from Changing Tunes, about how music can be used to bring a sense of hope and joy into prisons. We talk about the particular challenges of working inside the prison system and how music workshops, performances and professional recordings can be ways to approach some of the life challenges prisoners and ex prisoners face both inside and transitioning. Changing Tunes Website: www.changingtunes.org.uk

In this episode Colin Bray from Libraries Unlimited and Karen Leach Bowdler from Exeter Library join AHSW Coordinator Hannah Mumby for a conversation about libraries, art and wellbeing. They also discuss BellHouse, an interactive sound sculpture that took up residence at Exeter Library in October 2017. At the end of the episode you can hear a recording of BellHouse in action, and the artist Roop Johnstone talking about how he created it. www.librariesunlimited.org.uk www.devon.gov.uk/libraries www.bellhouseproject.com www.kaleider.com

This episode is a conversation with Rosie Mead, the director of Musica, and a researcher in the field of Music and Dementia. We talk about running music workshops in care homes, and the research that Rosie has been doing around using live music in hospital settings. Musica website: www.musica-music.co.uk

This episode of the podcast is the second in a series of highlights from our 2016 Annual Conference. It features a talk from Jayne Howard, former director of Arts for Health Cornwall, entitled "Filling in the gaps - challenges and opportunities for arts and health". In this talk Jayne Howard reflects on her 20 years working in health, then the arts, and then arts and health, in Cornwall, and how her thinking and practice has changed in that time.

This episode of the podcast is the first in a series of highlights from our 2016 Annual Conference, and features animator Emma Lazenby of ForMed Films, a Bristol based animation company, and Dr Jo Black, consultant psychiatrist and regional lead for perinatal mental health services. They discuss their recent collaboration, an animated short film entitled 'My Mum’s Got a Dodgy Brain', and talk through the process of how the film was commissioned by Devon Partnership NHS Trust. ForMed Films website: http://formedfilms.co.uk

For this episode, Hannah Mumby (Coordinator at AHSW) invites Viv Gordon (a dancer and choreographer with mental health needs who set up Mean Feet Dance) to talk about Mental Health and the Arts. Mean Feet Dance Website: www.meanfeetdance.co.uk I am Joan Tour Schedule: www.ahsw.org.uk/diary.aspx?id=1696 Thank you to Lee Rosevere for our theme music, from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/

For our first episode of the Arts & Health South West Podcast, Hannah Mumby (Coordinator at AHSW) invites Ruth Gidley (Community Participation officer at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter) to talk about Museums and Wellbeing. RAMM Website: https://www.rammuseum.org.uk Thank you to Lee Rosevere for our theme music, from the Free Music Archive: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lee_Rosevere/