Residents who take part in creative, culture and arts activities are happier, healthier and feel more connected with their communities.
In their latest report, Croydon’s Director of Public Health makes recommendations for everyone to make more time to enjoy activities such as dance, music and crafts as part of their everyday lives.
Other examples of creative health activities include visual and performing arts, film, literature, cooking and activities based in nature, such as gardening.
The report also calls for more creative health interventions to be embedded in health and care provision.
The Director of Public Health has a statutory duty to produce an independent report each year on local health issues. This year’s report, launched during Creativity and Wellbeing Week 19-25 May, shows how such activities can be better value, and beneficial in the long term to prevent and treat ill health.
The report puts a spotlight on some of the successful work to improve residents’ health and wellbeing. It also reflects on Croydon’s year as London Borough of Culture during 2023 to 2024, where the majority (88%) of people attending said it impacted positively on their mental wellbeing.
Croydon Council has been running a pilot programme to get more people involved in creative health activities. This includes training and resources through a new Creative Health Network, and grant funding opportunities.
Participants taking part in the Breathe Melodies project, which uses singing and music to support mums at risk of post-natal depression, have reported a reduction in depression and anxiety levels from attending.
Croydon’s Men’s Shed project in New Addington helps men’s mental health through woodwork and gardening. They can socialise, and receive information and advice, as well as the chance to share skills and knowledge in a relaxed environment.
Art and Joy, led by the Museum of Croydon in partnership with Good Wolf People, supported people living with dementia and their carers to express themselves with different creative activities. A local exhibition showcasing the participants’ work alongside the paintings which inspired them is now open until the end of November.
Croydon’s creative sector provides jobs across a range of industries and their initiatives also help to bring communities together, tackle crime and improve the local environment.
The Director of Public Health report makes recommendations for Croydon’s health, culture, business, voluntary and community sectors to unite behind creative health initiatives, enabling longer term investment.
The report also stresses the need for better collaboration between commissioners, service providers and communities to evidence more of the wide-ranging benefits of creative health interventions.
“I’m delighted that this year’s Director of Public Health’s report focuses on the benefits of creative health. Croydon has a proud history in arts, culture and heritage. Our successful year as London Borough of Culture clearly showed how arts participation boosted our residents’ health and wellbeing. We want to build on that success and create the conditions in Croydon for creative health to become an integral part of our health and care offer for people in our borough.”
Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon
Dr Jack Bedeman, Croydon’s Acting Deputy Director of Public Health, whose team lead the research with the Council’s creative health team, said: “I believe there isn’t a single challenge we can’t tackle more effectively with creativity. Across the NHS and local government, we’re being asked to think differently. We’re being asked to focus on prevention, to build services around people and their communities, and to find new ways of tackling deep-rooted challenges. Engaging with the arts improves health, strengthens communities, and helps us find meaning and connection.”
Find out more about the Council’s Creative Health programme including grant funding opportunities here. People can also sign up to the Creative Health network here.
