About the Alliance

The Culture, Health & Wellbeing Alliance is the sole free-to-join membership organisation for creative health across England.

We provide networked, collaborative advocacy, support and resources, supporting health and wellbeing for all through creative and cultural practice. We are based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

We work with

Over 6,500 members including freelance creatives, museums, heritage and arts organisations
50 strategic partners across culture, health and social care
A range of strategic allies including the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Arts, Health & Wellbeing, the National Centre for Creative Health and the LENs.

The difference we make:

connecting and empowering changemakers in the field
amplifying critical initiatives that demonstrate how creativity and culture addresses health inequalities
conducting research that evidences critical systemic change opportunities
challenging and changing systemic health narratives through positioning the value of culture and creativity

Seven people stand in front of a white background, smiling

@inspiredmaephotography

Board & staff

Find out more here about the Board and staff of the Alliance, about our Regional Champions, and about our Strategic Alliance Members and Partners.

Board & staff

CHWA's Theory of Change

Our Theory of Change can be found here.

In CHWA has been working with the Phillip Barker Centre for Creative Learning and Research Education Creativity and Arts through Practice (RECAP) at The University of Chester to develop this Theory of Change based on previous evaluations at CHWA. you can read the full report here.

Access & Wellbeing information

Read our access and wellbeing information here

People taking part in the Spaces Between Walk (Creative Recovery) with Barnsley Town Hall in the background

Spaces Between Walk (Creative Recovery); photo by Charlotte Armitage

Contact and organisational details

The Culture, Health & Wellbeing Alliance CIC is a registered Community Interest Company based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

Contact details

Vision, Mission & Values

Our vision

A healthy world powered by our creativity and imagination

Our mission

We want to build a common understanding that creativity and culture are integral to health and wellbeing. This is an approach that engages with prevention and health-creation not just treatment and disease; is asset-based and holistic; and is communal, collective and co-produced.

We want to lead by building national, regional and local collaboration to strengthen the collective power of our members.

We are

Collaborative
Caring
Inclusive
Committed to positive social change

How we work

We advocate

Joining the dots between culture, creativity, health and wellbeing
Influencing funders, commissioners and policymakers
Empowering changemakers
Developing the relationship between practice and research

We support local networks

We work with volunteer regional champions around the country to
Support peer networks
Build relationships between culture and health

We provide resources

Information
Training
Peer support

CHWA Gather In event at The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum. Image by: Jenny Harper

Image: Jenny Harper

Regional champions

Find out more about our champions across the nine English regions (and other networks supporting the home nations) here.

Strategic Alliance Members & Partners

Find out about our national partners here.

The Creative Health Family

We have a joint memorandum of understanding with the LENs and National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH) to ensure collaboration and complementarity. The NCCH also provides secretariat support for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Arts, Health & Wellbeing on behalf of the Culture, Health & Wellbeing Alliance.

Policies and Procedures

These help us achieve our mission and realise our values.

Funders and supporters

Read about who funds and supports our work here.