Tuesday 17 October 2017

...this and that

January 5th 2018 - SAVE THE DATE
I can confirm that a follow-up event to the Creative Health launch, will take place here at MMU on 5th January. The event will give us the chance to share more of our work with each other and unpick the recommendations of the report and ways forwards across the region. Save the date. It'll be a free event and will provisionally take place between 10:00 and 16:00. An eventbrite page for registration and opportunities to express interest in sharing your work, will be posted soon. I very much hope that Vic McEwan will be able to join our event and share work of the Harmonic Oscillator - more soon.


Whitehall Debate on Arts & Health
Co-Chair of the APPG on Arts, Health & Wellbeing and former Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, Ed Vaizey proudly displays the Creative Health report at the parliamentary debate on the effect of the arts on health in Whitehall last week. You can watch the debate in full by clicking firmly on his face.


Arts & Health in Wales...an unfolding story
Interesting to see that a three-year Memorandum of Understanding between the Arts Council of Wales (ACW) and the Welsh NHS Confederation has been agreed and that the agreement aims to promote the benefits that the arts can bring to the population’s wellbeing, and to create a “more equal, cultural and sustainable Wales”. Arts Professional report that a spokesperson for ACW said participating in creative activities can have a “very positive impact on a person’s physical and mental wellbeing”, and help to reduce demand on NHS services. Speaking about the agreement, Chair of ACW Phil George said: “There is growing and resilient evidence for arts participation benefitting mental health, wellbeing and recovery from physical illness."

It will be very interesting to see what strategy ACW put in place - and will it simply be a tool for achieving NHS cost effectiveness, or will it offer a vehicle for radical social change and civic good? Raymond Williams cautioned us that ‘good’ has rather been drained of its meaning by the ‘exclusion of its ethical content’ by those who attempt to influence the field, ‘using scraps of linguistics, psychology and sociology to influence what he thinks of as the mass mind.’ In a climate where we hear lots about 'scaling up' and 'expansion' perhaps Williams is firing a warning shot from our recent past, for us to be mindful of ‘advertising men’ and ‘publicity boys.’ This nuanced and rich community of arts and health is at potential risk of those wanting to scale-up more instrumental practice by simply filling a hole in the market, when the NHS is looking for solutions. Let's keep a watchful eye out for those vapid opportunists!


Funding for projects that help the elderly 
The Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust which awards grants to registered charities in the United Kingdom has announced that the next funding round for applications is now open. Grants of £5,000 are available to registered charities for projects that relate to the Elderly. Priority given to projects working with:
 The Elderly that focus on Homelessness
 Domestic Abuse
 Prisoners/Offenders
 Training/Education
 Counselling/Support
 Refugees and Asylum Seekers
 Activities for those with limited access or opportunities.
To be eligible to apply, the charity must have a minimum operating income of £500,000 per year. For information on how to apply and on future funding rounds this year, please click HERE. 

Life Changes Trust: Creative & Active Lives 
The Life Changes Trust has announced the launch of the Creative and Active Lives Fund. The fund aims to grow opportunities across a broad range of creative and active pursuits so care experienced young people can engage with their peers and increase their skills, wellbeing and social connections. It also aims to build the confidence and skills amongst staff, families and carers in relation to creative and active pursuits. Projects must focus on care experienced young people between 14 and 26 years old who have at least three months experience of any of the following:
 Supervision order/looked after at home
 Foster care
 Residential care
 Secure care
 Looked after through Kinship care.
Not for profit organisations, schools, colleges, universities and residential houses are able to apply and proposals are also welcome from projects that give care experienced young people the opportunity to join activities within a mixed group. The closing date for applications is the 1st December 2017. Read more HERE. 



BBC Children in Need – Small Grants Programme
Not for profit organisations such as schools; registered charities; voluntary organisations; churches; and community interest groups; etc. can apply for grants of up to £10,000 per year for up to 3 years for projects that help children and young people overcome the effects of:
 Illness, distress, abuse or neglect; disability
 Behavioural or psychological difficulties
 Poverty and deprivation.
 Projects supported in the past include:
 Trewirgie Junior School which received a grant of £9,760 to provide after school sailing sessions to
 disadvantage children aged 7-11.
The Midlothian Association of Play which received a grant of £9,996 to run holiday playschemes with trips and activities for young people living in low income areas.
The closing date for applications is the 1st December 2017. Read more HERE. 


a-n Business Development Manager
Salary: £25,874 – £33,671
Contract: Permanent full-time contract of employment
Location: Manchester
Application deadline: 12noon on Monday 6 November 2017
The Business Development Manager will be responsible for identifying new opportunities for business development (including income streams, business partnerships, advertising and sales growth), supporting the Head of Business Development in steering and securing a-n’s future in line with the company’s mission and business plan. a-n has an ambitious forward business plan, a growing membership and the success of influential and impactful campaigns and programmes to build on. We’re looking for an exceptional individual with experience of income generation and business development to join our core staff team at this exciting time for the company.

About a-n: a-n The Artists Information Company is the largest artists’ membership organisation in the UK with over 21,000 members. We have been leading and influencing policy and sectoral best practice for almost 40 years with our members’ needs, interests and concerns always the central focus of what we do.

How to apply: See job pack below for details of how to apply and guidance notes for applicants. The deadline for receipt of applications is 12noon on Monday 6 November 2017.
Full details are HERE.


     


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