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Well Issue 3: Autumn/Winter 2003/04
Arts in mind
Scotland's National Cultural Strategy
Frank McAveety
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, says:
"Participating in the arts and culture is good for you! It is enjoyable and creates a 'feel good' factor that can greatly assist a person's general well-being. It can help encourage a positive outlook, affecting how we feel about ourselves and building confidence and self-esteem.
"The National Cultural Strategy aims to create a climate in which arts and culture are accessible to all and are helped to maximise their beneficial impacts for health. The Executive is particularly aware of the positive links between the arts and mental health and seeks to promote these.
"Involvement in culture and sport helps people stay physically and mentally active. Those engaged in initiatives which employ the arts within healthcare recognise that these activities have a unique capacity for positive influence on mental welfare: creative and sporting activities have a valuable role within provision for people with learning and physical disabilities. For example, in art and music therapy reminiscence work is frequently employed to help older people to stay mentally active, and art therapies can increase the quality of life for patients in hospital, respite and residential services.
"I am encouraged to see that many organisations in Scotland are developing valuable expertise in this area. Further fine examples from across Scotland feature in this edition. The Scottish Arts Council plays its part by promoting projects and initiatives involving collaboration between practising artists and healthcare specialists.
"I am delighted to see this activity and applaud those whose enlightened approaches are helping to develop the contribution of culture and sport to improving the nation's health."
Scotland's National Cultural Strategy Report (2000)
www.scotland.gov.uk/nationalculturalstrategy
THE SCOTTISH ARTS COUNCIL The Scottish Arts Council (SAC) has been developing a programme for the European Year of Disabled People 2003 (EYDP) to raise awareness of the needs and issues facing disability arts. The programme includes research, a series of debates and seminars, training programmes, arts events and a conference. In the longer term the SAC is committed to working with the National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Well-Being to raise the profile of the arts and its contribution to good mental health, and to use the arts as a way of improving awareness and understanding. SCOTTISH ARTS COUNCIL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD Two artists who are members of The Trongate Studios in Glasgow are attending an international seminar and exhibition on the theme of arts and health in Beauvais, France, with funding from the Scottish Arts Council. John O'Connor and Paul Duffus will be taking part in the Arts et Therapie seminar, sharing their experience of art in health from the perspective of professionally-trained artists with mental health problems. The artists will gain an insight into Art and Mental Health systems in other countries and will be showing examples of their work in a month- long exhibition in Beauvais. www.scottisharts.org.uk |
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