31 March 2020
Postponed Arts + Health event goes digital
The Weston Arts + Health Weekender scheduled to take
place in Weston-super-Mare on 3 - 5 April has been postponed
in light of COVID-19 directives.
However, mindful of the ways that the arts
can support health and wellbeing at this challenging time,
organisers are bringing elements of the live event online in a
re-configured programme with free digital content for the whole
community to access.
The inaugural festival, supported by Arts Council England and
North Somerset Council, was planned to celebrate wholeness and
togetherness and mark two significant events; the joining of two
hospital Trusts on 1 April to form University Hospitals Bristol and
Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) and the launch of Culture
Weston, a new initiative that promotes cultural and heritage-based
activity as a vital part of the town's life. The merger of the
NHS Trusts will proceed subject to regulatory approvals and Culture
Weston will begin operations, but celebrations will necessarily be
delayed.
Content from the festival will now be re-configured and shared
online, starting with an online 'Creative Conversation' on the
afternoon of Friday 3 April. This replaces the Creative Ageing
Convention due to mark the start of the
Weekender. Those supporting the wellbeing of older
isolated people and others facing isolation alone are welcome to
join in, share challenges and signpost suggested solutions. Details
of how to join, via a simple link, will be posted at cultureweston.org.uk on 3 April.
Alongside arts and health activities for the elderly, it
will focus on social isolation amongst the general population
and signpost people towards a number of resources.
The online 'Creative Conversation' will be hosted by
Dr Anna Farthing with a team of highly experienced
contributors on board including John McMahon (Arts + Health lead
for Arts Council England) and Alex Coulter (Director Arts + Health
SW), who will share their research and experiences on how arts
approaches can help support health and alleviate loneliness.
Creative tasters will include singing for lung health, with
singer songwriter Kate Dimbleby introducing the first in a
specially created 'BREATHE' series; creative writing with published
author Bob Walton; armchair movement with dance practitioner Vic
Hole; breathing exercises for relaxation with drama
practitioner Angela Athay-Hunt and easy digital media skills
with Nick Sutton.
Where possible other parts of the original 'Weekender' programme
are also being reimagined. The team behind the 'Bubble Schmeisis'
show scheduled to take place at The Stable in Weston on Saturday 4
April are instead creating free 'Nights on the Tiles' film
shorts.
The first short will be aired online at the original performance
time of 8pm this Saturday and will include an invitation to
audiences everywhere to send in solo music and comedy slots filmed
in the makeshift spas of their home bathrooms.
A creative play resource with outdoor arts company Mufti Games
is also being developed and digital content will continue to unfold
over the coming weeks to offer on-going support to the community
and help keep minds and bodies buoyant. All creative content
gathered will be posted on the Culture Weston website in a new 'At
Home With Culture' section.
All content is self-filmed and sets a precedent for how people
at home can generate compelling creative content with everyday
tools. The online event will also catalyse the sharing of
resources to form a free online resource bank for agencies and
professionals working with older and isolated people.
Fiona Matthews, Culture Weston Director said: "The Weston
Arts + Health Weekender is about creating connections between
people and shining a light on experiences and resources that have
the potential to uplift lives. We need this now more than
ever. The 'Creative Conversation' marks the start of an
online community with multiple opportunities to engage in creative
dialogue and activities that can help everyone feel supported."
Anna Farthing, Arts Programme Director, University Hospitals
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, added: "Everyone is seeing
the value of arts and culture during this period of extraordinary
isolation. Television, films, radio, music, and books can offer
great distraction, but humans are inherently social creatures and
those who are alone can sometimes need support to express
themselves when no-one else is around. Doing, making and moving
ourselves through the arts, crafts, dance, drama and creative
writing can help us feel that we have some control over our
circumstances.
"Our network of artists and contributors all have extensive
experience of working in health, care and wellbeing settings and
have invaluable skills to share at this challenging time. We are
very grateful for their ongoing support and we look forward to
bringing new opportunities for creative connection between them,
the public, inpatients and hardworking hospital staff over the
coming weeks."
Visit cultureweston.org.uk for details.
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