Come along to hear about how Creative Health works from experts in the field and see how you might be able to use it as part of your creative practice.
Creativity is a basic right, regardless of your health status – and a healthy life includes creativity. The fast-emerging field of Creative Health is having a big impact on the health and wellbeing of people and communities across the UK, and is changing health care.
Many people living with health challenges are excluded from creative and cultural opportunities, but the evidence shows that the chance to take part can be transformational for health and happiness – and can reduce the need for doctors’ appointments and medications.
Explore with Creative Crawley, Crawley Community Action, NHS colleagues, academics and pioneers from the Hera Project how you can take part. Can we build a Creative Health Service for Crawley?
This event is FREE
Book in for your free place here
Panelists
Sir Sam Everington MBBS, MRCGP, Barrister, OBE, General Practitioner
Sam has been a GP in Tower Hamlets since 1989 in the Bromley by Bow Partnership. The centre has over 100 projects under its roof supporting the wider determinants of health. The social prescribing delivered at the centre, is now part of a network of thousands across the country and the world.
Sam is a member of BMA and RCGP Council and Vice President of the BMA. In 1999 he received an OBE for services to inner city primary care in 2006, The International Award of Excellence in Health Care and in 2015 a Knighthood for services to primary care. In 2022 he received the Albert Medal from the RSA. He is Vice President of the Queen’s Nursing Institute.
Maija Handover, Producer and Publicist
Maija Handover has over 25 years’ experience in the arts as a producer and publicist. In 2024 she went freelance to study a Creative Health MASc at UCL whilst developing a locally embedded practice. She was recently awarded an Arts Council DYCP grant for her research and development project Positive Place: embedded creative wellbeing. She is also the publicist for Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra working with Music Director Joanna MacGregor. Previously she was Co-Director of national contemporary music charity Sound UK and founded boutique PR consultancy mhpr. She lives in Lindfield and her happy place is her allotment.
Luke Boucher, Social Prescriber with Crawley Community Action
After spending a period working in the NHS for South Central Ambulance Service, Luke joined Crawley Community Action four years ago to work on their Social Prescribing project seeking a role with a broader and more proactive perspective on people’s health and wellbeing.
Dan Blomfield, Photographer and Green Social Prescribing Lead at The Hera Project
Dan’s passion lies in the connective power of photography while drawing on his own lived experiences with mental health. To help himself and others to see the beauty in life, nature, and the greater world.
He’s worked for professional printing companies, film studios, magazines, advertising campaigns, individual clients, and art galleries along with always developing his own practice and vision.
Heidi Compton – Artist
Heidi’s background is in illustration and photography, but she has always loved exploring many creative disciplines and experimenting with different techniques and materials.
Heidi is passionate about helping people feel free and relaxed when creating art, encouraging them to believe in themselves as artists and value their unique abilities. She strives to help others gain confidence and recognise that there is beauty in imperfection. Art should be an enjoyable and accessible experience for everyone.
Ratna Jan Bibi – Creative Programmer at The Hera Project
Taking part in a community arts project as a teenager, shaped Ratna’s career trajectory of connecting marginalised groups to the arts through education, outreach, access and community development.
As the Creative Programme, Ratna oversees the day-to-day running of the Hera project. Ratna is supported by a team of freelance artists, and her social prescribing colleagues, and together they support individuals’ functional health and wellbeing through creative health.
Emma Drew – Director, The Hera Project
Emma’s background is in literature and the arts, with experience of supporting people in recovery. As the author of The Whole Person Recovery Handbook, she has made significant contributions to the field. Emma continues to lead the way in advancing creative health, playing a key role in its growth, development, and recognition on local, national, and international levels.
The Hera Project (Healing, Expressive and Recovery Arts) has been running successfully in Brighton & Hove since 2014. The project provide s a range of high-quality activities from art to singing and photography to creative writing. The programme is designed to improve people’s functional health and wellbeing, and the practitioners are trained creative professionals, experienced in supporting people living with long term health challenges. Their work falls under the heading of ‘Social Prescribing’, one of the personalised care pillars of the NHS 10 Year Plan.
This event is part of The Creative Village; a brand new skills exchange, showcasing and cultural development programme for and with creative professionals in Crawley, West Sussex and Surrey, managed by Creative Crawley in partnership with Theatre Centre and AudioActive, and funded by Arts Council England and supported by Crawley Borough Council’s Shared Prosperity Fund and Gatwick Airport Ltd.
