London's creative health sector
How arts and health sectors are working together to improve Londoners’ wellbeing
Creative Health includes activities that directly benefit physical and mental health and wellbeing by enriching the environments in which Londoners are born, grow, live, work and age. Activities might be aimed at conditions like dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, long COVID, addiction or poor mental health. It has deep roots from 1700s to the more recent establishment of cultural social prescribing.
The 'Understanding Creative Health in London' report was commissioned by the Greater London Authority and written by Dr Rebecca Gordon Nesbitt with London Arts and Health. It details the evolution, scale, character, and maturity of the creative health sector in London.
The report addresses the following questions:
- How have the arts and health sectors evolved to improve Londoners' wellbeing?
- Who makes it happen and under what conditions?
- What are the sectors' main challenges and opportunities?
Shaped with a methodology combining desk-based research and interviews, the report includes case studies and recommendations as to what might support the sector’s future.
Key findings
- Creative health activities can be found in health and care settings from hospitals to museums, libraries, theatres, community centres and parks
- The creative health sector is making a significant contribution to the capital’s health, wellbeing and supporting the reduction in health inequalities
- The creative heath sector in London has deep roots but the lack of sustainable funding limits access for all Londoners
- There are around 30,000 freelance arts practitioners delivering work across London. The average annual wage is below the London living wage
- Diversification of the sector’s workforce and leadership is an urgent challenge
- Workforce development is a priority, with clear demand expressed by practitioners for practical training, mentoring, networking and peer support
- Cuts to health and local authority budgets are having a devastating effect, with community organisations expected to ameliorate the effects of austerity
- Evaluation and research in this field needs to be rigorous and shared more widely
Alternative text for the timeline of London's Creative Health Sector Development
About the report
The 'Understanding Creative Health in London' report is organised into the following sections:
- evolution of the sector
- overview of settings
- snapshot of current activity
- workforce
- funding and commissioning
Read the report
Understanding Creative Health in London
Find out more
Throughout 2023, City Hall teamed up with Arts Council England and London Arts and Health to create and deliver a co-design process with Londoners interested in developing London as a Creative Health City.
Find out how we're working to ensure that everyone can take part in arts and culture, including the most vulnerable.
We’re working with different organisations to show how culture can support children and young people.
Need a document on this page in an accessible format?
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of a PDF or other document on this page in a more accessible format, please get in touch via our online form and tell us which format you need.
It will also help us if you tell us which assistive technology you use. We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days.