Today saw the launch of three key outputs from our work tracking and analysing global arts and health policy: a mapping tool, an article in Lancet Public Health, and a blog post for the International Public Policy Observatory.
On the back of our work exploring the role of the arts in both preventing and managing ill health, we have been working with the World Health Organization since 2021, to consider how governments can ensure more equitable access to arts and culture for public health, and more arts projects in clinical and community settings to support a range of specific health outcomes.
In order to track how policymakers are responding to this globally, we have created a repository and mapping tool for international policy documents, from which we have begun to assess how health ministries, arts ministries/councils, local government and cross government partnerships are realising the potential of the arts to support health and wellbeing.
Our mapping tool will be updated quarterly, so we encourage partners to send us documents to add; this can include policy setting documents or strategies, policy evaluations or progress reports and policy recommendations. Please send these to sbbresearch@ucl.ac.uk.