Equal Arts representing North East on national body championing importance of arts on health

Our co-director Alice Thwaite has been asked to join a national alliance set up to champion the important impact creativity plays on health and wellbeing.

Alice joins leaders in the field of arts and health to highlight the benefits creativity and the arts can have on health.

She is representing the North East on the National Alliance of Arts, Health and Wellbeing (NAAHW).

Supported by the NAAHW, an All Party Parliamentary Group, co-chaired by Lord Alan Howarth CBE, is currently examining perspectives on arts and health ahead of publishing its policy recommendations.

Alice, who has worked for 25 years to give older people in the North East creative opportunities, said: “We see first-hand the impact creativity can have on the health of older people and those living with dementia.

“I’m delighted the charity has been invited to be involved with the National Alliance for Arts, Health and Wellbeing. It gives us the opportunity to work closely with others in the field and raises the profile of this work at the highest level.

“We will be highlighting the impact arts such as music, movement and visual art can have on wellbeing at the All Party Parliamentary Group at Westminster.”

From our head office in Gateshead we support hundreds of older people living across Newcastle, Northumberland, County Durham and South Tyneside.

Working with artists we provide creative sessions in care settings, for people living with dementia and for older people living independently.

Damian Hebron, Director of London Arts in Health Forum, said: “We are delighted Alice has agreed to support the work of the alliance. Her understanding of arts in health policy, connections across the North East and nationally and her active work around creative ageing will support and complement the work of the National Alliance in the coming months and years.”

Last year we launched Creative Age, a £200,000 initiative working to give people living with dementia greater access to arts in their community.

The project is running at BALTIC Centre of Contemporary Art in Gateshead, Mima in Middlesbrough and the Arc in Stockton and is due to launch this spring at the National Glass Centre in Sunderland and Washington Arts Centre.

To find out more about our projects visit www.equalarts.org.uk, email information@equalarts.org.uk or ring 0191 477 5775.