The value of creative health: Perspectives from people with lived experience: Research briefing, No. 2, November 2023

This briefing provides important evidence of perspectives from People with Lived Experience about the value of creative health approaches in improving health and wellbeing and what is needed to enable people to live well in their communities. Creative health approaches refers to the use of non-medical community-based provisions including art and creative activities (including singing, drama, visual arts and crafts) as well as sports, outdoor & nature-based activities and use of community facilities. The evidence in this briefing derives from collaborative research funded by the UKRI-AHRC Mobilising Community Assets programme with partners and community members across West Yorkshire that explored what it means to mobilise community assets in response to health inequalities. A participatory action inquiry approach was adopted involving the active engagement of stakeholder organisations and people in communities working together to explore possibilities for evolving creative health systems and approaches to enable people across West Yorkshire to live well. A total of 76 people with lived experience and 80 professionals from 67 different statutory and third sector organisations were involved in the project. The perspectives in this briefing are derived largely from workshops and inquiry groups with people with lived experience. The project was undertaken between November 2022 and July 2023.