The benefits creativity can have on our health have been highlighted in a new report.

For the past two years our co-director Alice Thwaite has informed the all party parliamentary group (APPG) inquiry into arts, health and wellbeing.

With more than 25 years’ experience providing creative opportunities for older people and those living in care, Alice shared her knowledge and expertise of how creative care can make a difference to people’s lives.

Co-chaired by Lord Alan Howarth CBE, the APPG was supported by the National Alliance of Arts, Health and Wellbeing, of which Alice is the North East representative.

Alice said: “It has been fantastic that Equal Arts has helped inform the APPG report and I look forward to supporting the recommendations.  It is vital that we make care more creative.”

Creative Health was launched in Parliament today, read the full report here.

Attending the launch was Alice Wiseman, director of public health Gateshead. She said: “The importance of wellbeing is increasingly recognised.

“Our wellbeing is vital to our health, to our sense of who we are, and to our self-worth and effectiveness.  The arts play a vital role in creating and supporting feelings of wellbeing.

"Exploring our creativity offers myriad ways to connect, move, give, learn and notice, the five ways to wellbeing.

"Through participation in the arts everybody can improve their wellbeing and live a longer more fulfilling life.”

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