Between 8th – 12th June 2026 we headed up to Edinburgh for the Arts Health Research Intensive. This is our flagship week-long immersive course to develop knowledge, skills and contacts in arts and health research.
A huge thank you to our 2026 cohort for making this such a brilliant week! The course is a partnership with the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Arts and Health at UCL and our valued colleagues at University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine, Jameel Arts & Health Lab, University of Edinburgh PATHS Research Group, and our generous hosts, St Columba’s Hospice Care.
This year, we welcomed delegates from more than 20 countries with diverse backgrounds in the arts, healthcare, community health and social care and research, including four participants as part of WHO’s EU funded programme on Health Resilience in the Eastern Partnership and three Jameel Arts & Health Global Majority Scholars.
In this blog, you can find a roundup of the event as well as reflections from some of our fantastic delegates.
“It is difficult to choose a single learning takeaway, but one of the most important lessons for me was the value of building teams and networks. Arts and health is a field that depends on collaboration, and I leave feeling grateful for the relationships and connections that were established during the course.
I also learned how to design a research project that is both rigorous and focused. It is easy to become overly ambitious and try to answer too many questions at once. The programme helped me appreciate the importance of defining a clear and manageable scope while maintaining methodological strength.”
– Claudia, AHRI delegate
Across the week we had a packed schedule, starting each day with a creative session followed by a journey through research methods (study design, theorising, arts- and practice-based approaches, experimental designs, data coding, thematic analysis, co-production, evidence synthesis and more), the evidence relating to arts and health (psychological, cognitive, physiological and behavioural), as well as practical workshops where delegates were supported to advance their own projects.
Delegates meet the teaching faculty at the beginning of the week
“As a poet and doctoral researcher exploring the intersection of writing well and writing for wellbeing, it was especially meaningful to see poetic analysis and poetry writing incorporated into the Intensive’s lesson plans.
The beautiful grounds of St Columba’s also offered new perspectives on the role of aesthetics in wellbeing and restored my belief not only in the transformative power of the arts but in those who champion them.”
– Carolyn, AHRI delegate
For the first time we hosted the Research Intensive at St Columba’s Hospice Care in Edinburgh. The team offer free, flexible and person-centred palliative care and support to patients and families within the local community.
In particular, the arts are a vibrant part of their wellbeing service and this shone through as delegates were given a presentation on and tour of the hospice by Giorgos Tsiris, the Director of Education, Research & Creative Arts.
Making the most of the beautiful setting at St Columba’s Hospice Care
“One of my favourite learning moments was led by Jenny Baxley Lee during her session, where she encouraged us to ask bold and critical questions of ourselves and of the arts in health field. She spoke about allowing ourselves to be distracted by the humming of our hearts and the bees, reminding us to notice, observe, and feel the inherent value of being present and sitting in the “not knowing.”
Throughout the intensive, each of us grappled with a research question and, on the final day, shared our ideas vulnerably with our peers. This workshopping process helped me realize that we are all experimenting, taking risks, and continually shaping our artistic identities while also growing as researchers and practitioners.“
– Christen, AHRI delegate
Sessions were facilitated by a team of teaching staff, each bringing unique specialisms and perspectives to share with delegates:
- Prof Daisy Fancourt, UCL
- Dr Katey Warran, UCL and University of Edinburgh
- Dr Jill Sonke, University of Florida
- Dr Jenny Baxley Lee, University of Florida
- Dr Saoirse Finn, UCL
- Dr Olivia Turner, University of Edinburgh
- Prof Giorgos Tsiris, St Columba’s Hospice Care and Queen Margaret University
- Prof Nisha Sajnani, New York University and Jameel Arts & Health Lab
There were also opportunities for connection and conversation between delegates – whether over lunch, at our drinks reception or through group discussions and presentations.
Debating issues in arts and health research through a fast-fire participatory session
“In my local context, I leave with a renewed commitment to generating evidence that is grounded in the Chilean reality. My long-term aspiration is to contribute to a future where arts prescribing for mental health becomes part of public policy.
As a next step, I will work towards implementing the research project I developed during the Intensive, which aims to connect adolescents on mental health waiting lists with local community arts programmes. I hope this project can contribute to the growing evidence base on how arts participation can support youth wellbeing and strengthen mental health systems.”
– Claudia, AHRI delegate
Five busy days seemed to pass incredibly quickly and the week culminated in delegates presenting their research projects to each other. This was a real highlight as we delved deeper into everyone’s work, sparking exciting conversations about shared challenges and opportunities. A panel on careers in arts and health, as well as advice on how to secure funding for projects, also provided an opportunity to reflect on next steps.
And before we knew it, the week had come to a close (but not without delegates exchanging contact details and planning some extra meetups to make the most of their stay in Edinburgh – whether grabbing some dinner, organising a trip to a museum, or even a quick dip in the sea).
Enjoying a quieter moment to reflect on their research and next steps
“As a health promoter working with newcomers, including immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and non-status individuals and communities in Canada, I am committed to increasing arts integration as a foundational approach to improving newcomer mental health and wellbeing.
This research intensive has provided both a pathway forward and renewed hope for strengthening my research knowledge and carrying out more rigorous and impactful research to build evidence in the field. My hope is to establish interdisciplinary arts teams, composed of artists within settlement agencies, recognizing that art transcends language and culture and can create meaningful opportunities to re-imagine more compassionate ways of healing and finding a place to call home.”
– Christen, AHRI delegate
A huge thank you again to everyone who made our 2026 Research Intensive happen. We are so excited to stay in touch with delegates and see their research projects develop.
If you are interested in further training opportunities then do check out our ongoing GRACE-Epi Monthly Methods webinar series and explore the training and development section of our website.
And are you interested in attending this course next year? Stay tuned, we’ll be sharing an update soon with details of our 2027 Arts Health Research Intensive – you can register your interest here to be notified when applications open!
