Health and wellbeing

The Courtyard performing arts centre in Hereford has announced a series of Food For Families events that offer families struggling to make ends meet a free hot buffet meal alongside a programme of art activities for children.

Supported by Talk Community Hub’s Winter of Wellbeing fund, the events will run on three consecutive Saturdays, starting on Saturday 11 March..

Activities for children include a scavenger hunt, scheduled for 11 March, create your own seascape on 18 March and animal crafts on March 25.  

The Courtyard, which is serving as a warm space, has been a Talk Community Hub since 2020, when it underwent renovations and upgrades including a new accessible box office and retail area and a new workshop and performance space.

One of a network of hubs across Herefordshire, it offers a place for local people to access information and activities to support their wellbeing and independence.
 

An arts activities guide designed for people living with dementia has launched as part of a collaborative initiative in Liverpool.

The resource, called 'Little Golden Moments', has been developed by dementia specialist Belong and Liverpool-based contemporary arts centre Bluecoat to offer a collection of creative pursuits to enhance the wellbeing of those using it.

It brings together an array of one-to-one and group exercises in music and sound, storytelling, movement and dance, and working with clay. 

All the activities have been devised by creatives commissioned by Bluecoat, and piloted by Belong over the past four years as part of an the ongoing research partnership between the organisations called 'Where the Arts Belong'.

Caroline Baker, head of dementia and care quality at Belong, said: "When your loved ones or those in your care live with dementia, it can be difficult to keep them engaged with worthwhile activity. 

"We're pleased that the Bluecoat's work to-date means we can offer this resource to carers everywhere. I'm sure many will recognise the small, special moments they have with those they care for and this will help to bring about more positive experiences."

Tabitha Moses, project facilitator at Bluecoat, added: "We hope Little Golden Moments will inspire creative engagement with people we love and support. Each activity has been tried and tested, both in-person and on a digital screen - all are dementia-friendly and Zoom-friendly. You don't need to have any arts experience, just a willingness to have a go!"

An independent theatre in Newcastle-upon-Tyne has launched a Crowdfunder appeal to cover costs associated with becoming a warm space for people in the city.

Alphabetti Theatre had been open since mid-October from 11am to 11pm, Tuesday to Saturday, but is currently closed for essential maintenance. It plans to reopen as a warm space on 31 January.

The theatre's fundraising campaign has an overall target of £15,000. A portion of the money will be spent on the theatre's utilities bill, which has increased by 248%.

A statement on Crowdfunder said: "We are providing a warm, welcoming space where there isn’t pressure to spend money. A much-needed space in a cold city like ours but also an enjoyable space – a social and community driven space with art and creativity at its core.

"We continue to offer high quality socioeconomically accessible art for all. And we’ll continue to help artists survive financially, advocating to use creativity to tell the stories that need to be heard in interesting and entertaining ways."

The fundraising campaign has been offered match funding from the Co-op Warm Spaces Funding Boost, designed to support organisations supporting their local communities through rising costs this winter.

Half of UK musicians are either "extremely" or "very" concerned they'll be forced to leave the industry over the next six months due to the ongoing cost of living crisis, a study has found.

A survey by charity Help Musicians found that the cost-of-living crisis is impacting musicians more than the pandemic with 60% saying they are earning less than they were a year ago, and eight out of 10 saying they earn less than before the pandemic. 

The survey, which garnered responses from more than 500 professional musicians, revealed that the situation is having a severe impact on their mental health, with 88% saying that poor mental health is currently negatively impacting their career.

Most are also in a "cost-of-working" crisis, with 91% unable to afford music equipment, while energy and fuel costs are making travelling to gigs and heating rehearsal spaces impossible for many. 

Nearly all UK musicians (98%) are concerned about earning enough income in the next six months, with 90% worried about affording food and 84% concerned about paying their mortgage or rent. This has led to half of UK musicians "extremely" or "very" concerned they'll be forced to leave the industry.

James Ainscough, Chief Executive of Help Musicians said: “It is hard to imagine any point since the Second World War when it has been tougher to be a professional musician - put simply, the current environment is brutal. 

"The pandemic had a catastrophic impact, with most simply unable to perform. Afterwards, venues were booked up for months or years in advance due to rearranged gigs. This has been followed by Brexit, which has impacted their ability to tour, for many emerging musicians a vital step in building a sustainable career. 

“It is clear from the responses to this survey, that musicians need a broad range of support to help them navigate financial challenges of working and living over winter, make the most of touring opportunities, and improve their mental health. 

“We need to put significant time and resource into sustaining musicians over the coming, challenging months, if we are to have a thriving music ecosystem in 2023 and beyond. We cannot afford to lose any of the talent from our passionate community of UK musicians if we want to continue enjoying the music that inspires us all every day.”

Cultural organisations from across the UK have been invited to apply for funding for projects that help transform communities.

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation's Award for Civic Arts Organisations was established in 2020 as a response to the impact of the pandemic and offers a total of £150,000 to organisations that are helping to transform communities.

This year’s award will be on the theme of “co-creating the future”, with the aim of funding projects that ignite joy, hope, compassion and energy, improve wellbeing, forge new connections, or develops solutions.

“In difficult times, it’s more important than ever that art and culture are available to everyone,” said Louisa Hooper, Director of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s UK branch. 

“By prioritising co-creation, this year we’re looking to recognise organisations that create lasting change by working with and in communities to address their needs and concerns, deepen relationships and use arts and creativity to enable positive change.”

Recipients of previous editions of the award include the first studio sanctuary for asylum seekers in the UK, established at The Art House in Wakefield, and a collective of neurodivergent artists and activists based in Hastings.

The award “is vitally important in encouraging and rewarding genuine engagement and co-creation with local communities”, said Baroness Bull, Chair of the award panel.

“In the years since the award was founded, we’ve seen hundreds of entries from organisations across the UK demonstrating a commitment to changing lives through art.”

Creatives in Glasgow are being invited to apply to a funding programme aimed at using art to tackle stigma around mental health.

The Anti-Stigma Arts Fund, from mental health charity See Me Scotland, offers grants between £500 and £5,000 and accepts applications from individuals, groups or organisations.

First launched in 2021, the programme is currently funding six ongoing projects including films, a comic book and programme of therapeutic arts.

See Me's Project Officer for Communities and Priority Groups Maeve Grindall said the first round of funding “showed us the power of the arts and how creativity can tackle mental health stigma and discrimination”.

“We’re excited to see what projects and ideas might come from our second year of funding and placing a real emphasis on projects which aim to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination in the communities where it is most prevalent.”

Applications for the second wave of funding are open until 6 November.