Creativity for Wellbeing Network

Everybody Arts hosted a monthly network meeting as part of Calderdale Thriving Communities.

Calderdale’s Creativity for Wellbeing Network brought together people from organisations involved in delivering creative and cultural activities that supported wellbeing.

As a network, we aimed to establish a ‘community of practice for creative wellbeing’ by sharing information and experience through active, experiential learning to support professional development and the wellbeing of our members.

The network was open to providers and practitioners.

The aims of the network were to:

• Build trust and develop expertise

• Share knowledge, research, and best practice

• Build relationships, learn from, and support each other

• Strengthen the sector

• Improve signposting and collaboration within the sector and network

• Support the creativity and health agenda in and for Calderdale

• Develop and share monitoring and evaluation frameworks to measure impact consistently

• Offer skills and training based on collective needs within the group

• Develop, enhance, and add to the above, led and informed by the network
  

Between September 2022 and July 2023, Everybody Arts hosted monthly Creativity for Wellbeing Network meetings as part of Calderdale Thriving Communities.

Each session included an active learning workshop led by a guest practitioner, group discussions, updates on local activities and events, and time for networking.

Guest contributors included representatives from The Victoria Theatre, Curious Motion, Northern Broadsides, Staying Well, Healthy Minds, freelance practitioners, and Hebden Bridge Arts.