A joyful group dance during Cast's Sing, Swing and Cake group. A smiling woman in the foreground reaching out to someone just off camera, older people holding hands in a circle, vibrant energy, and spring decor in Dance Space.

Arts and Wellbeing

What is Creative Health?

Creative health is the idea that taking part in creative activities (like art, music, drama, and culture) can help improve our health and wellbeing. It’s a growing movement of people who believe everyone should have access to these activities, no matter who they are or where they live.

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“I am crying happy tears because I am so happy…this has been one of the best days of my life”​ 

New audience member 

Doncaster’s Creative Health board 

Our vision is to for everyone in Doncaster to be able to access participatory creative activities, resulting in them feeling happier, healthier and more resilient. 

Doncaster Creative Health Board membership includes senior leaders from Public Health and City of Doncaster Council, cultural organisations (darts, Cast and Heritage Doncaster), local doctors and medical directors, academic researchers and local charities. We are developing our knowledge in how to successfully bring lived experience to the board in 2025. 

Through the Creative Health Boards research programme we now have the capacity to identify through action research programmes: 

  • Identify methods to demonstrate how art, culture and creative activities can be made more accessible for people at most risk of poor health.
  • Test new approaches to funding, delivering and measuring the impact of art, culture and creative activities provided by community assets.
  • Build the skills and confidence of community assets to carry out their own research and use evidence to improve how they work.
  • Develop new tools and guidance, including a Creative Health handbook, so that art, culture and creative activities can become a key part of health and care services across the UK. 

Community Board 

Made up of local community members, the board for Doncaster People's Theatre plays a vital role in shaping the group's direction, making sure that the voices and lived experiences of participants are at the heart of every  production. The board helps to create meaningful, relevant, and accessible theatre opportunities. 

 

To find out more about Creative Health Boards, and the work of the Creative Health Boards project, click here to visit their website.