In August 2024, we were delighted to take part in Healing Arts Scotland Aberdeen Day, lead by Citymoves and shmu. Healing Arts Scotland was a week-long celebration of arts and healthcare through events across Scotland, organised by Scottish Ballet and the Jameel Arts & Health Lab in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO). Alongside Citymoves and shmu, we organised a day-long event including presentations, panel discussions, creative workshops, a musical performance and the opportunity to view panels from artist Andrew Crummy’s Cancer Tapestries project.
We invited organisations, charities, freelance artists and practitioners, and researchers to take part, providing the opportunity to learn about each other’s work and facilitate new connections. The event demonstrated the wealth and range of initiatives bringing together creativity and wellbeing in Aberdeen.
The day started with presentations by North East Culture Collective, Citymoves, GHAT and the Run Forever project at HMPG, followed by a panel discussion on research and findings about creativity and healthcare in the academic field. The afternoon offered attendees the opportunity to take part in a range of creative workshops led by Aberdeen-based artists and organisations. Participants could choose between attending an Artroom session with GHAT, a dance workshop with Laura Booth, a walk with Stephanie Whitelaw (North East Culture Collective), a singing workshop with ACE Voices or a filmmaking taster with shmu. The workshops were followed by a panel on social prescribing, in which Sally, our Director, participated. Throughout the day, attendees could admire four panels from the Cancer Tapestry, a collaborative embroidery project led by Andrew Crummy and involving participants with experiences of cancer. The day concluded with a performance by the Big Noise Torry youth orchestra before closing remarks by Jillian Evans, Head of Health Intelligence at NHS Grampian, and Chris Bailey, Chair of the World Health Organisation.
We look forward to continuing some of these discussions and conversations and contributing to the improvement of wellbeing through creativity and art.
