Arts Health Research Intensive

A week-long immersive course to develop knowledge, skills and contacts in arts and health research

A Partnership with the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Arts and Health at UCL, the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine, the Jameel Arts & Health Lab and the University of Edinburgh PATHS Research Group. Co-organised and hosted by St Columba’s Hospice Care.

Next course: 8 – 12 June 2026, N°17 Conference Venue at St Columba’s Hospice Care in Edinburgh, UK 

Applications are now open! Complete the application form to be considered for a place on the course.

About the course

The Arts Health Research Intensive training course provides a rich introduction to the evidence base around arts in health and fundamentals of evaluation and research. In this course, attendees will:

• Explore the development and scope of the field
• Learn about psychological, physiological, social and behavioural effects of arts engagement
• Discover research and evaluation methodologies
• Discuss practicalities and issues in carrying out research
• Engage in group-based debates, activities and presentations

​This course is suitable for those with a background or interest in the arts, healthcare, community health or social care, and research, and who wish to learn more about the field and meet others who share their interests. 

We prioritise participants with prior research training and/or experience, particularly an understanding of basic research language, concepts and skills such as what epistemologies are, what theory is and how to use it in research, how to formulate research questions, how to critically appraise evidence, and a basic understanding about how to plan a study design. This background could be demonstrated by at least one of the following: 

• Basic research training (e.g. completion of a postgraduate degree such as an MSc)
• Research experience (e.g. having designed and/or participated as an investigator on research studies)
• Completion of the Arts in Health Research Primer at the University of Florida or equivalent training 

​Course schedule

To get a sense of the course, have a look at our recap blog or see the 2025 course schedule. Content is updated yearly and a preliminary schedule for 2026 will be published here as soon as it’s available. 

Program Faculty

Prof Daisy Fancourt, UCL
Dr Katey Warran, UCL and University of Edinburgh
Dr Jill Sonke, Center for Arts in Medicine, University of Florida
Dr Jenny Baxley Lee, Center for Arts in Medicine, University of Florida

Apply to join us

Applications for our 2026 course are now open! 

To apply for a place please complete our online application form. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and will be closed once the course reaches capacity. Places on the course are limited, so we recommend you apply early to avoid disappointment and make sure to clearly outline your relevant experience and motivation. If applying for an early bird place or a scholarship, please note the deadlines below.  

Pricing

Please see an outline of pricing below:

Early bird – £1,169.00
Early bird student – £809.00
Full price – £1,299.00
Full price student – £899.00 

We have a limited number of early bird places which will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis to successful applicants. Discounted rates will be available until 30 November 2025 or until places are filled. 

Scholarships

We are committed to enabling the participation of people who may be otherwise underrepresented in the field of arts and health. These scholarships aim to improve the accessibility of the course to people from different backgrounds and circumstances. 

Partial and full scholarships covering course fees are available. Applications for scholarships will be judged jointly on merit and need and more information about the eligibility criteria can be found in the application form.  

Scholarships only cover course fees – attendees are responsible for covering their travel, accommodation and sustenance costs. In previous years some delegates have successfully applied for support from their university, employer or other sources to help cover remaining costs.  

Social Biobehavioural Research Group Scholarship  

We have a limited number of scholarships available, covering 50% or 100% of course fees. All applicants are eligible, but we will prioritise applicants who may be otherwise underrepresented in the field of arts and health or face challenges in attending the course.  

Jameel Arts & Health Global Majority Scholarship  

These scholarships are generously provided by the Jameel Arts & Health Lab, established in collaboration with the World Health Organization, New York University and CultureRunners. They are available to individuals from any Global Majority/Global South region of the world. The scholarship covers 100% of the course fee. 

If you want to be considered for either or both scholarships, please apply by completing the application form by 9 November 2025, 23.59 GMT. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered for a scholarship. 

Highlights from previous years

To learn more about the Arts Health Research Intensive, take a look at what past delegates had to say below, or read one of our blogs:

• Explore the highlights and delegates’ reflections from our latest Research Intensive in our 2025 blog.  
• To get a feel of what to expect day-by-day, read our 2024 recap blog. 
• Curious about what people have achieved since completing the course with the knowledge and skills they acquired? Have a look at our ‘Beyond the Research Intensive’ blog showcasing past participants’ stories. 
• Since 2024, the Jameel Arts & Health Lab has generously supported attendance of participants of the Global Majority with dedicated scholarships. See what the scholarship recipients had to say about their experiences: 2024, 2025. 
• Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn, Bluesky and X. We will be sharing snippets from previous courses and insights about what you can expect in 2026. 

Quotes from 2025

All delegates who completed the 2025 evaluation survey said they would recommend the programme to others! Some of the quotes from the survey can be found below.

What was the best part of the Research Intensive for you?

“Many many ‘best’ things for me but at the end of the day, here’s what I landed on: The energy, passion, and authentic respect between everyone (including the faculty). It’s rare to be in a room with a vast range of experiences and backgrounds and feel completely safe and comfortable to be share ideas and curiosities.” 

“I am so honoured to have been on this course! The lectures were fantastic and I still cannot even begin to think how much I have learned! All the creative tasks were inspiring and the Faculty was warm, approachable, full of knowledge! And of course the peers were amazing, so many new contacts around the world! I feel truly humbled and heart is full of wisdom to continue this work!” 

“A global cohort of 50 people coming together for 5 days, a luxury of time and quiet countryside, to focus, to delve into and refresh on topics of Arts in Health and be able to learn with everyone so intensively. I will be able to go back to the resource again and again and hope to share with fellow colleagues what I have learnt.” 

How have you changed or grown through this experience?

“This intensive changed the trajectory of my life by showing me that the arts in research is a very human field, that research can be fun and visual and impactful. I decided at this program that this is what I’d like to dedicate my professional and academic life to. How special to have received this, I was not expecting this to be my personal outcome. I was presented with an opportunity to engage with my artist self and my academic self in the most balanced and beautiful way. The time we spent examining our world views and laying the foundation for research was incredibly helpful.” 

“This course makes you grow not only as a researcher but also as a human being. The creative tasks were fantastic in inspiring involving your whole body, mind and soul in research work.” 

“I have found confidence in my interdisciplinary approach and new curiosity to collaborate not only with my research participants but also other researchers. 

This experience has significantly shifted my perspective on my Art in Health project. I’ve moved from a primarily practical and outcome-oriented approach to a more research-focused mindset. It helped me realize the importance of grounding my work in theory and using different theoretical frameworks to inform decision-making and enhance the project’s depth and impact.”