The Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance (CHWA), Arts Culture Health and Wellbeing Scotland (ACHWS), the Wales Arts, Health & Wellbeing Network (WAHWN) and Arts Care (Northern Ireland) have come together as a partnership of organisations and networks across the UK to find ways to support the culture, health and wellbeing sector during covid-19 and beyond.

Prior to this crisis, each organisation was already focusing on the need for greater support for freelance creative professionals engaging with health and wellbeing. We recognise that across the four nations, support for freelance creative professionals remains an urgent priority – indeed that the precarity of the creative sector has been dramatically exacerbated at precisely the moment when its value for our physical and psychological wellbeing is becoming absolutely apparent.

Artists have now begun to weave their way through this crisis, to adapt and respond in a multitude of ways that comprehend the complexity of covid-19 and all its ramifications, but remain true to the generous principles and professionalism within socially engaged practice.

We would like to ask freelance creative professionals across each nation to reflect on their responses. We would love any creative professional who would like to join this process to send their reflections via this google form.

We are particularly interested in reaching creative professionals who identify with one or more of the projected characteristics as defined in the Equalities Act 2010, as well as socioeconomic status. Please consider filling out this anonymous equality, diversity and representation form if you are submitting your reflections: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSewk0XUGUJyGX1YbJlE9FgYMZ--CszJPvOXOxOCWG1X9Z1LGg/viewform

Aims
Collectively these reflections will be used to
• Share examples of innovative creative practice around the UK
• Reflect the value of this practice back to creative professionals across the UK
• Support professional development  
• Bring together practice across the UK
• Underpin our conversations with policy-makers across culture, health and social care in all four nations, lobbying for support for creative and cultural professionals now and in the future

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!