Tackling health inequalities through creativity
Two hundred people from across south east London came together at the Southbank Centre on Wednesday 12 February to explore how creativity can help to reduce health inequalities.
The event, hosted by NHS South East London and Greater London Authority, with support from the Southbank Centre, saw the NHS, local councils, voluntary and community groups, arts organisations, local people and freelance creatives come together for a morning of conversation and collaboration on how creative projects can support wellbeing and enable our local communities to thrive.
Attendees saw first-hand the impact of creative health initiatives across south east London including: Breathe Arts Health Research, Thriving Stockwell, Everyone’s A Singer, Performing Medicine’s REACH programme, Questsoul Theatre CIC, Good Byes with TACO!, Theatre Peckham’s Unseen Unheard, The Bridge at Waterloo & Downham Men’s Group.
Discussions focused on the power of cross-sector collaboration and the need for long-term funding to tackle health inequalities. People with lived experience shared why creativity matters to them and how it supports their wellbeing. Attendees also explored how creativity can be embedded into the health system and how communities can use it to stay well.
According to a report from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, there is a growing body of evidence that illustrates the links between cultural and heritage engagement and health and wellbeing. Research by the World Health Organisation (WHO) from 2019 and University College London (UCL) has found that cultural engagement can help to prevent, treat and manage physical and mental health problems. At the event, Heart n Soul ran a creative activity, while DJ Trancey Parker kept energy levels high with music throughout the morning.
The aim was to inspire future work, shaping NHS South East London’s Creative Health programme for 2025, ensuring it reflects what matters most to people working in health, arts, and community sectors.
Watch the highlights from the event here:
Ceri Jacob, Place Executive Lead for Lewisham at NHS South East London, said: “Creative health offers people new ways to manage their health and wellbeing in a way that works for them and is anchored in their local communities. It is a key part of our plans to provide more care in the community, taking a more holistic and proactive approach to health and wellbeing. By strengthening partnerships, we can ensure creativity plays a bigger role in improving people’s lives.”
Mark Ball, Artistic Director at the Southbank Centre, said: “The Southbank Centre was founded on the belief that arts and culture are for everyone and can positively impact everyday life. We are proud to have hosted this vital discussion on how creativity can help reduce health inequalities and to work with our partners to support young people’s mental health through our new Arts & Wellbeing programme.”
Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, said: “Culture is proven to play a big role in improving our wellbeing – from dance helping Londoners living with Parkinson’s and dementia, to theatre improving mental health, there are many great examples of how creativity is helping our health. It’s important that we all continue to work together to make the most of this power, as we build a healthier London for everyone.”
This event is an example of how NHS South East London is working with local organisations to tackle social and economic inequalities that contribute to poor health. It was co-produced with south east London residents and the SEL Creative Health network, a group of public health, culture, and NHS professionals working together to drive change.