Can the arts heal?

This August, from 19-23 August, Healing Arts Week led by Scottish Ballet (@scottishballet) and the Jameel Arts & Health Lab (@jameelartshealthlab) in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (@who) takes place. Healing Arts Scotland is a week-long celebration of arts and health events, highlighting the joy they bring to those who take part, and their importance to the nation’s physical, mental and social health. This Friday, 23rd August are the Islands events taking place at UHI Orkney, The Balfour Hospital, and on Saturday at The Peedie Sea.

Please not that all events are free to attend with no booking required. For more information contact Tiffany Stott 07561181385. 

23 Aug 2024, 10AM – 11:15AM | Live screening online conference

The Future of Social Prescribing – We take a look at the future of Social Prescribing and the role of culture has to play with a panel of experts offering local, national and international perspectives.

Location: UHI Orkney (The College) – Lecture theatre

23 Aug 2024, 11:15AM – 12PM | Welcome notes and opening remarks

Opening remarks from Christopher Bailey- Art & Health Lead, WHO & Founding Co- Director, Jameel Arts & Health Lab

Nisha Sajnani – Founder of Arts and Health @ NYU And Chair, Creative Arts Therapies Consortium, NYU

Location: UHI Orkney (The College) – Conference room

23 Aug 2024, 12PM – 1PM | Live screening online conference

What the Research Tells Us – We take a look at why culture plays such an important part in our health and wellbeing and discuss recent ground breaking national and international research.

Location: UHI Orkney (The College) – Lecture theatre

23 Aug 2024, 1PM – 2PM | Live screening

Music and Social Prescribing – An introduction to social prescribing and the opportunities it can offer to musicians working with community groups by the ISM Trust in partnership with the Singing for Health Network. Social Prescribing is a key feature of the NHS’ long-term plan, which aims to strengthen the link between the local community and social activities such as music, sport, and arts, recognising that people’s health is determined primarily by a range of factors which are outside the scope of prescribed medication.
This session will look at the history and context of Social Prescribing, find out how it works and where it has been successful in relation to music – with a particular focus on singing – and discover the opportunities it can offer to musicians working with community groups.

Speakers: 

• Baz Chapman, General Manager of the Singing for Health Network
• Emily Foulkes, Director of Music for Good and the Singing for Health Network
• Sue Moorchild, Social Prescriber for Wharfedale, Airedale & Craven Alliance

Location: UHI Orkney (The College)- Lecture Theatre

23 Aug 2024, 12PM – 12:45PM | Live Dancing and music at The Balfour

• 12.00-12.30 – Jazz Duo
• 12.30-12.45 – Dancing

The Dancing is an open session – Seated and standing options available. No experience needed.

Location:  The HUB – The Balfour Hospital Foreland Rd, Kirkwall KW15 1NZ
 

23 Aug 2024, 1PM – 2PM | Performance – Strangers in Time – by Christopher Bailey

Followed by a discussion moderated by Nisha Sajnani – The value of arts engagement in health.

Strangers in Time is a performance piece by WHO Arts and Health Lead Christopher Bailey on transgenerational trauma, what it is and how the arts can help manage it.  Using neurology, personal experience, and stories from around the world, Bailey explores an often misunderstood area with messages of both science and hope. He has performed versions of the piece in Ireland, The Ukraine, Nigeria, the US and in the Middle East.

Location:  Brodgar A – Room – The Balfour Hospital Foreland Rd, Kirkwall KW15 1NZ

23 Aug 2024, 2PM – 3:15 | Live screening online conference

Nurturing Healthy Island Communities through Culture – We explore how different island communities across Scotland are mobilising and embedding local community – based cultural assets to improve health and wellbeing

Location: UHI Orkney (The College) – Conference room

23 Aug 2024, 3:30PM – 4:30PM | Talk – Music, Health and Wellbeing

Chris Gray, Senior Lecturer, University of Aberdeen

This talk will share insights from a unique course on offer at the University of Aberdeen which explores practices and research from the fields of music, therapy, public health, and medicine in order to rigorously explore the relationship between music, health and wellbeing. Chris will share highlights from the following: the academic debate around music, health, and wellbeing; the musical practices available to medical and music practitioners, and to their potential uses in a breadth of health care settings. He will go on to briefly share community music based project design work planned with the NHS Grampian Public Engagement team.

Location: Brodgar A – Room – The Balfour Hospital Foreland Rd, Kirkwall KW15 1NZ

24 Aug 2024, 2:30PM | Kites in Solidarity – Come and fly your kite with Orkney Friends of Palestine

Other information:

Come and fly a kite with us, as we gather to honour the mass kite flying event that took place on Al-Waha Beach in July 2011, when the children of Gaza reached a world record by flying 12,350 kites simultaneously in a symbol of resilience.

This family-friendly event open to all is a celebration of the strength and joy they found on that day, a reminder of their current suffering and a symbol of hope for their future.

We are hosting this event during the Healing Arts Scotland celebration, which highlights the importance of arts activities to support our physical, mental and social health.

Making a kite:
If you don’t have your own kite, you can find how to make one here:
See video

Safety
All children must be supervised by an adult. Please make sure to fly your kite safely:
https://www.kite.org/about-kites/kite-safety/

Location: The Peedie Sea (across from the Picky Centre) Bring your own kite! 

https://www.facebook.com/reel/505657088504116?locale=en_GB

Reminder

All events are free to attend with no booking required. For more information contact Tiffany Stott 07561181385.

Find out more on the Healing Arts Scotland website