P A R T I C I P A T O R Y A R T S A N D B E L O N G I N G : A R T S O R P E O P L E A S S O C I A L M E D I C I N E W I T H O L D E R P E O P L E ?

Rebecca Lawthom, Carolyn Kagan, Rachel Swindells, Kevin Rowley, Asiya Siddiquee

Invest to Save team : Clive Parkinson, Amanda Kilroy and Charlotte Garner

ART PARTICIPATION AS MEDICINE WITH OP?

How does participation in arts activity

impact upon older participants’ experiences

of wellbeing and belonging ?

What is the relationship between

engagement in arts activity in terms of arts

engagement and social facilitation?

CONNECTIVITY AND PARTICIPATION

Fostering new social networks and friendships

(Kilroy et al 2007)

Connection with outside world for marginalised

individuals (Reynolds, 2010)

Sharing experiences can decrease distress (Secker,

2007); improve social cohesion (Smith 2003) and

enhance feelings of belonging (Stickley, 2010)

GREYING POLICY LANDSCAPE

Global North contexts – a greying population but not

homogenous ?

Ageing possibly beset by long term conditions, poor

services and latterly austerity.

Wanless Report (2004) social determinants of health; New

Public Health agenda

Rising inequality – The Spirit Level (Wilkinson and Pickett)

Discourses of risk, vulnerability and loneliness

COLOURFUL ARTS AGENDA?

Wellbeing agenda writ large – closer alliance with arts

Human flourishing

Recognition that art for arts sake, arts participation for leisure and arts

participation for health may be different (National Endowment for Arts,

2007)

Settings in which art is found vary – acute medicine through to public

health and community contexts- but all can be transformative

Belief that the arts can challenger thinking and and a vehicle for health,

wellbeing and social change (Manifesto at artsforhealth.mmu.blogspot)

NEF 5 WAYS TO WELL BEING

In 2008, UK Government’s Foresight Project on Mental

Capital and Well-being identify a set of evidence-based actions

to improve well-being, which individuals would be encouraged

to build into their daily lives. These are:

Connect

Be Active

Take Notice

Keep Learning

Give

INVEST TO SAVE

The Invest to Save project expanded on an on-going partnership with Arts

Council England, North West and the Department of Health, Public Health

Group, North West, to better understand how the arts impact on individuals

and communities across the North West region.

The overall objective of the Invest to Save: Arts in Health research project,

was to evaluate and encourage development of arts based practices in a

range of different settings and to understand more fully those benefits. The

team also provided advocacy, networking and training opportunities around

this agenda. The findings encompass both qualitative and quantitative

findings, and are reported elsewhere (Parkinson, 2009; Swindells et al 2013).

METHODS

Interviews with older participants and artists were undertaken (n= 16). They

were participating in a range of creative activities such as creative writing,

sculpture and poetry.

Two different settings – one sheltered housing

Rich qualitative data gathered from project interviews to specifically address the

following questions:

 

How does participation in arts activity impact upon participant experiences of

wellbeing and belonging ?

What is the relationship between engagement in arts activity in terms of arts

engagement and social facilitation?

INVEST TO SAVE

Many the time I’m asleep so it is nice to know folk and

chat with them- the wardens cannot do that- they’re nice

people --- well I think it’ svery nice of you to come and

spend our time with old people like us’

Because I am deaf they talk across and I don’t know what

they are saying – it is like silent films……(the arts and

health work) makes me feel that at least some people can

have a chat with me’ (

POETRY AND CREATIVE WRITING

‘ it gets us all together and its great- we have a

laugh and a talk and enjoy it – it gets you all together

it does’ (88 year old participant)

‘well talking to different ones and learning where

they come from …. It brings you out a bit and makes

you forget your troubles ‘

‘ I feel happier when I go back in rather than

sitting on my own and talking to myself’

INVOLVEMENT IN ART SESSIONS IS SOCIAL

‘well you don’t get so wound up because you can

sit and talk to you’ ……….I am getting out of it the

company and other peoples point sof views and even

if it is only a chat and a cup of tea it makes you feel

alive. The only other time I go out is to the blood

clinic.

Without this ‘I’d go back to sitting in my flat and

going to sleep’

VALUE OF ART ACTIVITIES

I value it a lot – well at the moment with us not

being as fit as we might be – it is something different

and we like to join in……I like joining in with

everything apart from with us not being able to get

out so much I’d perhaps like it if I cold get out a bit –

I just enjoy being with the people that come such as

yourself and Phil. ‘

PEOPLE NOT ART

The company, the get together- it gives us a chance to get

to know each other and chat ……. The art work – well I

think that is a load of rubbish myself – that’s not my scene

to be honest – it has a reason’.

We come down here on a Friday and enjoy the people and

enjoy what you are doing ; otherwise me and Beattie would

sat upstairs or sleeping- it’s a good 2 hours spent. It can’t

extend your life but it can make life more pleasant’.

SUPPORT /CAPITAL

“If I need some help, I ask J who do I get in contact with and she helps me out in

that way… I don’t have to go running about 24/7 I can ask J to get me a contact

for such a person, like a solicitor or whoever… The staff are alright; they are

fantastic. I said I can go to J and ask her if such a person, if I can get in contact

with such a person and it may take a day or whatever and I know I can come to

her if I need anything filling in”.

): “I like the idea its in a small group and again I like that its not late at night. It’s

a more suitable time to go… It’s nice to belong to that and to be the same age

group as other people. Sometimes you can go on courses and you are involved

with people a lot younger than myself. It’s nice to do something with people of a

similar age. We’ve got a lot more in common than you know”.

PARTICIPATION AS HEALING

‘ it’s nice to be with other people and I like to observe them – I call it

people watching . ….. I was very depressed before I came here and I’d

been through a traumatic time . So I think being here and being with the

people and taking part has helped. ‘

(artists): “… they’re very nice, yes and with us being afflicted with being

deaf a little bit they have a lot of patience with us. Yes they do. And they

take care of us and they’re there and we’re involved with what’s going

on”.

 : “I just find everybody really helpful like last week when I was doing

poetry I found it very helpful that someone sat with me”.

HEALING

): “When I come here it’s like the group, there’s only 3 of us in the

group… We sort of help one another out. That’s part and parcel of moving

on… I’m also hoping to try and help out in some capacity here. It’s a bit

selfish to a certain degree because I don’t want to cut all my ties. It’s like

I don’t want to drift away and then me have a problem and then have

nowhere to turn to…. I have asked them if it would be possible if I could

sort of help out in some voluntary capacity. Obviously if I go back to work

its going to be… I’m going to be restricted… if I can help out in a small

way and give something back because I have gained so much out of it. I’d

like somebody or other people to benefit”.

PARTICIPATION IN ARTS

Mediated by access and inequality

Discourses of art as related to talent

Participatory arts as empowering – or providing a space to

get together (the therapeutic landscape experience)

Social capital – Putnam’s normative approach where

extending connections and networks generates positive

outcomes

Is capital more than an asset- what of process

ISSUES TO CONSIDER

How to theorise these relationships

Changing public health and policy context

How to or can we measure belonging, wellbeing?

What might a model explore – look at the

complexity