Practitioner Support and Wellbeing
Initiatives supporting creative health practitioners' health and wellbeing
To use the resources you can search by keyword (e.g. name, or area of interest), or filter by type, cost and location (including online). Both search options are below, on the right-hand side of the page. (You can also find more general training offers on this page.)
This new collection of resources was gathered alongside the Keeping Safe report: a review of psychosocial and wellbeing support options for creative practitioners working with challenging conditions and circumstances (Dr Julia Puebla Fortier and Dr Kate Massey-Chase, with support from Dr James Woodhams). We are now adding new resources to the page. If you want to send us new resources, please submit them using the ‘Submit a resource’ button on the right, and we will endeavour to upload relevant resources within a month.
This project was supported with funding from Arts Council England.
Nicola Naismith
Thought leadership, research, reports, and consultancy on support for socially engaged artists
Online psychology courses
Orange Collective
Bespoke workshops and Reflective Practice Sessions for a range of organisations and groups who deliver arts based approaches to Health and Wellbeing.
PAUSE: A Self-Care Support for Producers
Co-produced by The Uncultured and Producer Gathering, with support from Artsadmin and Marlborough Productions, this resource offers a supportive lens on experiencing burnout through eight commissioned writings from producers, facilitators, and wellbeing specialists. It encompasses personal insights, practical reflections and useful signposting to offer a tool that specifically considers the role and intricacies of working as a producer right now.
People United
Kent-based organisation focused on creating the conditions for creativity to flourish in an environment where we care for ourselves, each other, and the world around us, using a Radical Care model.
Performing Medicine
Staff wellbeing and compassionate care training for teams of health and non health professionals (uncluding artists). Bespoke programmes that include training, one-to-one coaching, forums and drop-in staff wellbeing sessions.
Performing Medicine: Circle of Care
Circle of Care re-envisions compassionate healthcare by describing a multi-directional flow of care between healthcare professionals and their colleagues, patients and carers.
Practising Well - Reflections on conversations series 2022
A series of 3 YouTube conversations as well as a reading of the Good Support Found Poem - a collaboration with Arji Manuelpillai to complement Nicola Naismith's Practising Well: Conversations & Support Menu research.
Practising Well: Conversations & Support Menu, Nicola Naismith, 2022
The central research question for the research report is "What are the key challenges to mainstreaming the ‘affective support’ conversation within participatory arts?"
Prirodno lecenje
Recommendations for creative health stakeholders on working with challenging conditions or situations
Recommendations address creative health participant safety and wellbeing; facilitator wellbeing and work conditions; creative health practice guidance; and professional development.
Red Earth Collective
Work in collaboration with individuals and ethnically diverse artists, many with lived experience of mental health issues.
Safety Guide for Artists
The Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) of PEN America has developed A Safety Guide for Artists, a first-of-its-kind manual that offers practical strategies for artists to understand, navigate, and ultimately overcome risk.
Scottish Mental Health Festival
A mixed-programmed yearly festival in Scotland that looks to explore the impact of arts on mental health
Shelia Preston - Blog
Mixed Blog about facilitator wellbeing and how to improve self-practice/impact of work.
Soundcastle Training & Consultancy
Mental Health First Aid training delivered by practicing community artists; plus consultancy to help positive change within your organisation by creating a wellbeing-centred culture.