Experience 2022: An Introduction to Arts, Health and the Older Person, an online learning programme, has been announced by Age & Opportunity, Waterford Healing Arts Trust and Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre. Taking place over three mornings from Wednesday 7 to Friday 9 December, this programme aims to outline the essential elements involved in working with older people in an arts and health context, and will feature presentations by some of the most experienced and inspiring practitioners working in this specialised field of practice. Places are limited to 20 and cost €20.00 each, which covers attendance on all three days. Further details and booking information is available from www.bealtaine.ie/news/ and from arts@ageandopportunity.ie Experience 2022: An Introduction to Arts, Health and the Older Person is funded by the Arts Council and the HSE. This is the second year of Experience, which was devised in 2021 in response to the need for more training and practical orientation for arts practitioners who already have experience of participatory work in a health context, and who are interested in developing their practice to include working with older people. Participants last year described the programme as “inspiring and beneficial”, “uplifting”, “insightful”, “useful”, “important”, “essential”, “enjoyable” and “excellent”, with people highlighting the expertise and passion of the speakers, and the opportunity to interact with fellow artists. In a programme which strives once again to be inspiring and pragmatic, participants will gain an overview of approaches and ways of thinking in this rewarding area of work, practical information and advice for different art forms and disciplines, valuable insight from artists, healthcare professionals and arts and health participants,...

Call to Artists Waterford Healing Arts Trust invites proposals for 2023–2025 Exhibition Programme at University Hospital Waterford Waterford Healing Arts Trust (WHAT) invites artists of all art forms and disciplines to submit proposals for its exhibition programme 2023–2025 at University Hospital Waterford (UHW). Successful artists will be paid a fee of €450.00 to exhibit, in addition to expenses such as travel, transport and workshop fees etc., where relevant. Group exhibition proposals are also welcome. To apply, artists should complete and send the relevant application form, along with three images and their artist CV to whatartshealth@gmail.com by Tuesday, 31 January 2023. Further information is available from WHAT Project Coordinator, Aisling Kennedy: aislingC.kennedy@hse.ie or 051 842664. The WHAT exhibition programme at UHW is a means of engaging the hospital community of staff, patients and visitors in contemporary art and arts practices, while also being an opportunity for artists to showcase their work within an atypical exhibition space. Exhibitions typically run for eight weeks, with scope to engage the hospital community in collaborative/ participatory arts experiences in tandem with the exhibition. Speaking at the announcement of the Open Call, Claire Meaney, Director of Waterford Healing Arts Trust said “We’re delighted to announce this open call inviting artists of all art forms to submit their proposals for our exhibition programme 2023-2025 at University Hospital Waterford. Through art, we aim to bring some wonder and magic to the hospital, to soften the clinical environment and humanise the space, so if you have an idea that you think could be realised in this context, we would love to hear from you.” She went on to...

Mapping Arts and Health Across the Midlands is a research report published by the Arts Office of Laois County Council and partner organisations Offaly County Council Arts Office, Westmeath County Council Arts Office, Anam Beo, Helium Arts, Music Generation (Offaly/Westmeath) and Waterford Healing Arts Trust (WHAT). The project was funded under the Arts Council Invitation to Collaboration Scheme. Led by consultant John O’Brien, the research was concerned with mapping a landscape of practice and provision. This involved teasing out a complex ecosystem of people, agencies, resources, policies and understandings in order to answer the key question: ‘how can we collaborate better?’ The question touches on a range of issues from funding sources and business models, through modes of engagement and choice of art forms. The research leads to a better understanding of how the different parts of the ecosystem work together, and how they can be influenced to change the way we work together to create an effective and sustainable arts and health sector across the...