News Cast joins first cohort of National Creative Health Network for Arts Centres

Cast has joined the inaugural cohort of the Creative Health Network for Arts Centres, a national initiative led by Future Arts Centres and Battersea Arts Centre to explore and strengthen the role of cultural venues in local and regional health systems.

The network brings together senior leaders from ten arts centres across the UK to share learning, examine evaluation methodologies, explore social prescribing, and foster strategic partnerships with the NHS, funders, and local health providers.

Arts centres are uniquely placed to contribute to neighbourhood health by combining creative programming, community engagement, and trusted local relationships. While many organisations deliver impactful community health projects, they frequently encounter shared challenges regarding long-term sustainability, visibility, strategic partnerships, and evaluation. The network has been established to address these common hurdles and build collective advocacy for creative health work.

Participation in the network will support Cast’s ongoing work within Doncaster, connecting local creative initiatives with wider sector insights and best practice.

Speaking about the initiative, Annabel Turpin and Gavin Barlow, Co-Directors of Future Arts Centres, said: "The Creative Health Network is an opportunity to connect arts centre leaders who are already delivering creative health activity in their communities. Through shared learning, peer support and collective advocacy, we hope the network will strengthen confidence, leadership and visibility for arts centres working in this space."

Tarek Iskander, Artistic Director & CEO of Battersea Arts Centre, added: "Creative Health is some of the most important work arts centres do – it’s where our buildings, our artists and our communities genuinely connect around something that matters. But too often we’re figuring it out alone. This Network will change that. It gives us the chance to share what we’re learning, support each other, and build something bigger than any one of us could alone."

The 2026-27 cohort represents a broad spectrum of arts disciplines, including theatre, visual arts, dance, music, writing, and participatory arts. Participating venues work with diverse communities, including young people, older adults, refugees and asylum seekers, people experiencing mental ill health, disabled and neurodivergent individuals, people living with dementia, carers, and communities experiencing health inequalities.

The ten participating organisations are:

• Cast (Doncaster)
• The Art House (Wakefield)
• Heywood Civic (Greater Manchester)
• Southbank Centre (London)
• Brixton House (London)
• artsdepot (London)
• Lincoln Arts Centre (Lincoln)
• Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) (Birmingham)
• Harbour House (Kingsbridge, Devon)
• The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre (Havant, Hampshire)

Running from October 2026 through May 2027, the programme features monthly knowledge-sharing sessions, peer learning, and key gatherings at Battersea Arts Centre alongside online sessions throughout the year.

Over the coming months, Cast will share insights and updates from the network as the cohort develops new approaches to supporting neighbourhood health and community wellbeing.

The Creative Health Network for Arts Centres is supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Linbury Trust, and the Mayor of London.