We are delighted to see our education portfolio grow following our appointment by Willmott Dixon Construction to work with their design team for the new Oxford Academy.“This project gives us an opportunity to develop arts and education work already begun with White Design Architects with whom we worked on the DfES funded Project Faraday", said Willis Newson Director Jane Willis.
 
“We hope that through working closely with White Design and the school staff and students, we can develop ways of integrating art into the new Academy that will not only enhance the physical buildings, but also support learning across the curriculum,” said Willis Newson Projects Director Jo Swales, who will be leading on the project.

Oxford Academy, for students aged 11-19, will be housed in a new state-of-the-art building due to open in 2010 in South Oxford and will specialise in Maths, Information Communications Technology (ICT) and Sport.

Alan Johnson MP, Secretary of State for Health, spelled out the benefits of arts in healthcare and urged that the arts become a part of mainstream health delivery at a speech given on 16th September.

“The arts certainly have a key role to play in healthcare - its therapeutic value cannot be underestimated,” he said.

“It’s well-documented that those hospitals and other care settings that pay close attention to the overall physical environment for patients (preferably by listening to what patients and staff say would make things better) achieve real improvements in the health of patients. …...

“A recent study commissioned by my department and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (“Mental Health, social inclusion and arts: developing the evidence base”) has shown that participation in the arts leads to significant improvements in health, and that it can also boost self esteem, and reduce feelings of isolation and exclusion….

“I would like to see the benefits of participation in the arts recognised more widely by health and social care professionals, particularly those involved in commissioning services for people with mental health problems. This is not some kind of eccentric add-on – it should be part of the mainstream in both health and social care. And through the Arts/Health group that’s been set up in my department, we will be looking at what more we can do to provide guidance, where to go for advice on best practice and sources of funding for clinicians and arts professionals.”

To see a full transcript of this speech click here.

Norma Daykin, Professor of Arts and Health in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at the University of the West of England (UWE), has received the 2008 Royal Society for Public Health Arts and Health Award for her significant and innovative contribution to the field of Music and Health Research. 

Willis Newson has worked closely with Norma on a number of projects, including the evaluation of Moving On for Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. We are currently working with Norma and her team at UWE on a project at Callington Road Hospital to research and develop best practice in participatory arts in mental health.

For more information click here.

Staff at North Bristol NHS Trust are being urged to get moving! To music that is!

Dance will be offered to staff this Autumn as part of the Fresh Arts Staff Arts Club programme being run by Willis Newson.

Working in partnership with Dance South West to develop and deliver the dance workshop, we hope that it will encourage staff to incorporate dance into their life as an enjoyable form of exercise. 

Inspiration can also be drawn from Dancescapes, an exhibition of photographs of dancers by Kevin Clifford for Dance South West at the Fromeshaw Gallery, Frenchay Hospital.

Dance South West is working to demonstrate how dance can connect with the health agenda. They aim to make a real impact on the targets of Primary Care Trusts, hospitals, mental health organisations, rehabilitation units and GP surgeries.

“I am delighted to start working with Willis Newson in this way!” Sarah Cobley, Partnership Director, Dance South West.

Music in Health Settings Trainings
Musique & Santé and the Royal Northern College of Music are offering the European training session "Music in Health Settings". It will be carried out in English by training officers from both organisations and is open to all European musicians who wish to explore practical and theoretical tools to work in healthcare settings. The training session will take place in Paris from February 2-6, 2009  For more information click here

Working in the arts and mental health
A conference Equipping People to Work in the Arts and Mental Health takes place on Friday 14th November at the University of Nottingham. For more information click here