Health and wellbeing

The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) has produced three new short films as part of its Pandemic and Beyond project, each focusing on a different way that arts and humanities research has contributed to Covid-19 response and recovery.

Led by Professor Pascale Aebischer of Exeter University, in partnership with resident filmmaker Benedict Morrison, the films are entitled “Coping Creatively”, “Getting the Message Across” and “Coming Together”. They are available to watch on the project website.

The Pandemic and Beyond project is a virtual hub for researchers, journalists and policymakers that brings together more than 70 different research projects that suggest solutions to urgent problems that have been created or exacerbated by the pandemic.

“Coping Creatively” focused on five AHRC projects that have explored the contribution made by the arts and humanities to helping vulnerable groups and individuals cope during the pandemic, using activities including drawing, theatre and walking.

“Getting the Message Across” focuses on five AHRC projects that have studied the contribution made by the arts and humanities to supporting communication during the pandemic, including the dissemination of public health messaging.

“Coming Together” looks at four AHRC projects that have explored ways in which the arts and humanities adapted to maintain audiences and communities of performers during lockdown, using tools such as outdoor performances, virtual dance technologies, telepresence and poetry.
 

Theatre productions can help to promote healthier body image in young children, a study has found.

Led by body image expert Professor Viren Swami of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), the study evaluated the responses of children aged between five and nine-years-old before and after attending productions of Cinderella: the AWESOME Truth at a theatre in London.

Professor Swami was consulted during the development of the production with the aim of creating a show that could help children develop positive body image and self-image.

The research, based on responses from 54 girls and 45 boys, found that body appreciation scores for both boys and girls improved after watching the production.

The improvements were achieved while maintaining near universal enjoyment of the show and delivering key learning outcomes, as assessed through the children’s qualitative responses.

“We know that body and appearance dissatisfaction is associated with detrimental health and psychological outcomes, including symptoms of depression, low self-esteem, disordered eating, and decreased physical activity, and this can begin in children as young as six," Professor Swarmi said. 

“Due to social media, children are becoming aware of unrealistic and unhealthy aspects of body image at an ever-younger age. Therefore, it is important to find new ways of countering these threats by delivering positive messages to young children.

“It may not be feasible to reach all children through theatre given production costs and barriers to attendance, for example ticket prices. However, we have shown there is merit in using theatrical performances to promote healthy body image messages, as well as potentially embedding drama and theatre with a body image focus in school-based curricula.”

Businesses in the arts, entertainment and recreation sectors are among the most likely to adopt permanent hybrid work models, the latest Office for National Statistics figures reveal.

They show the number of organisations for whom working from home is, or is planned to be, part of their permanent business model has risen from 16% in autumn 2020 to 23% in April 2022.

Organisations in these sectors showed much higher preferences for hybrid work models than others, with 33% working to implement a long-term culture of offsetting days spent in the office with days working from home.

Data suggests most businesses are motivated to make the shift to hybrid work because of improved staff wellbeing, reduced overheads and increased productivity. 

“Despite the removal of all Covid-related restrictions, these latest statistics show there are still a large number of businesses eager to continue a culture of hybrid working,” said Tina Chander, Head of the Employment Law team at Wright Hassall.

She added that many employees are reluctant to return to offices full-time but that employers “still have an obligation to ensure the health and safety of their workforce is protected, even if employees are working from home full-time”.

A music app designed to support care of people affected by dementia has been launched by music wellness technology firm Music Health.

The app, called Vera, analyses the age of the person with dementia, where they grew up and how they react to music, to create a personalised playlist designed to help manage the Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD).

More than 80% of people living with dementia experience BPSD and personally significant music has been found to decrease the effects.

Vera features music owned by Universal Music, after the industry giant signed a partnership with Music Health to include the label’s entire global music catalogue.

Music Health Co-Founder Stephen Hunt likened the app to a “music detective”.

“It seeks out tunes that they used to love a long time ago but may have forgotten about, which their carers may have never heard of, and their families may not even know.”

Funding applications are now open for community groups, arts organisations and councils across Northern Ireland who wish to take part in the Arts and Older People Programme.

Established in 2010 by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the programme challenges perceptions of what it means to be an older person. It is designed to tackle loneliness and promote positive mental health among older people through the arts.

The latest round of the programme, in partnership with the National Lottery, will award £200,000 of funding in grants of up to £10,000 to support projects benefitting older people.

“We know that taking part in arts activities can raise self-esteem, boost confidence and motivation, as well as help to relieve stress, loneliness, worries and pain,” said Lorraine Calderwood, Arts Programmes Officer of Arts Council of Northern Ireland. 

She said that recent rounds of the programme have “focused on delivering arts activity within care home settings, working with residents living with dementia and their carers,” and encouraged organisations across the region to apply.

To date, the programme has provided £2m of funding to community organisations and voluntary groups, resulting in the delivery of over 200 arts projects.

Applications for this latest round of funding will close on 7 July.

Performance arts workers are more likely to experience poor mental health than their peers, according to a global scoping review published by Equity.

Led by Dr Lucie Clements, the review spans 111 academic studies related to mental health and wellbeing in students and professionals within the performing arts.

Two academic papers, one reviewing actors and the other ballet dancers, showed depression to be twice as likely in performers than the general population. A separate study found that 54% of musical theatre students reported a level of depression or anxiety that met the rate for diagnosis of a mental disorder.

A meta-analysis reviewing levels of anxiety in a given week found dancers (24%), opera singers (32%), acting students (52%), actors (60%) and rock musicians (90%) to far surpass the levels observed in the general population (6%).

Across the studies, a culture of unstable work, antisocial working hours, time away from home, and financial fears were cited as the main attributors to increased stress and mental health in performance artists.

In response, Equity has created a Mental Health Charter listing five demands.

The union is calling on producers and engagers to address the harmful impacts of precarious work, adopt relevant safeguards in the workplace and ensure inclusion of historically marginalised groups.

It also demands education providers ensure every young person’s training is conducted with dignity and respect and calls on the government to reform the Mental Health Act.

Equity General Secretary Paul Fleming says the charter puts the responsibility on those that control the creative industry: “They show that our demands for improvements in pay, condition and access to the industry aren’t just about our members’ material wellbeing, but their mental health too.”

A new digital mental health platform for musicians launches today (9 May) to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week.

Music Minds Matter Explore, created by charity Help Musicians, offers mental health help and guidance and signposting to local and national support.

Help Musicians says the resource follows an increase in demand for mental health support from musicians in the wake of the pandemic. Calls to its Music Minds Matter phone service have increased by 34% since the start of the year.

“Sadly, two years of Covid have seriously disrupted careers and we would encourage anyone struggling to get in touch and find the support they need,” Head of Music Minds Matter Joe Hastings said.