Arts & Health Training
Developing Arts For Health (The Artist Professional Development Programme) is delivered in partnership with praXis. It is run annually by the Creative Communities Unit at Staffordshire University in Stoke on Trent. It is a high profile, region-wide course and is one of the first fully accredited arts and health professional development programmes in the UK.
What is it?
Developing Arts for Health provides continuing professional development for experienced artists, arts development workers and health workers in the area of arts for health. The course will provide people with the knowledge, arts/health-specific skills and confidence appropriate for practitioners who wish to develop arts work in a health setting. You will learn about the structure of the health service and current health policies, as well as about the national and regional contexts of arts for health practice. The practitioner’s view of the NHS will be examined, including how to negotiate at different levels within the health sector, how to communicate with NHS staff, and the role of arts and health workers. Finally, you will explore the issue of project evaluation, and will learn how to provide evidence for the success of your projects. You will also undertake a practical project and reflect on this area of work-related learning.
Practical Work
The course supports students to be part of the arts and health workforce and as part of the course, the University will support you to identify and undertake a piece of practical arts and health work and meet professionals working in the field. Previous years’ projects have included hospital arts, regeneration projects, creative consultation, user involvement, and projects in the criminal justice system - to name but a few! The course covers a wide range of useful topics: from health jargon, the practicalities of working in health related settings and the history of arts and health work. It also facilitates your own reflection of your professional practice and experience.
Who is the course for?
It is open to artists and development workers with some practical experience of participatory work. However it is not necessary to have direct experience of health-based work.
Commissioning Organisations
If your organisation is interested in supporting the training of artists, arts development workers and health or community workers in participatory arts and health work please get in touch. There are sometimes opportunities to incorporate the training as part of a commission and the University can support you in developing a suitable commission.
For details of next year's programme contact Janet Hetherington on 01782 292540 or email j.hetherington@staffs.ac.uk
