Conference

Project Partner:
Health Service Executive South

Date: 21 February 2006
Venue: Clarion Hotel

Project Description:
This one-day conference highlighted the positive impact of introducing culture and arts to patients and residents by reflecting on the Cork 2005/HSE Culture and Health Strand, sharing learning and ideas from the 33 projects which took place, and exploring ways of continuing arts in health work into the future.

The conference, which was free, was attended by over 100 delegates comprised of healthcare staff, artists, community and voluntary groups and cultural practitioners.

Workshops led by experienced facilitators offered practical guidance on best practice. These included: ‘Using Music in Healthcare Settings’ by musician Nico Brown; ‘Art in Hospitals’ facilitated by Charlotte O’Donovan; ‘Using Dance in Healthcare Settings’ led by Jo Nichols; and ‘Using Inter-media Artwork in Healthcare Settings’ by Molly Sturges.

Two performances demonstrating the creative results from two projects within the Culture and Health Strand ran parallel to the workshops. ‘Older People for Beginners’, a theatre performance conceived and written by Ciarán Fitzpatrick and directed by Tom Creed with an older audience in mind, was performed by Ciarán Fitzpatrick and Julie Kelleher. A Forum Theatre performance directed and facilitated by Peter Kearns, part of a project for people with disabilities, was also performed by residents of St. Laurence’s Cheshire Home and St Finbarr’s Hospital.

Presentations by Gretta Crowley, Local Health Office Manager with the Health Service Executive Southern Area and Tony Sheehan, former Programme Director with Cork 2005, provided the context for and an insight into the work undertaken in the Culture and Health Strand. Four case study presentations detailed the vibrant and innovative work in 2005. These included: ‘Culture in Residence’ by Cork 2005 Project Manager Ann O’Connor, ‘Music in Healthcare/Mental Health’ by Deirdre McCrea, Chief Executive Music Network, ‘Encounters – Artist in Residence Programme in St Finbarr’s Hospital’ by Charlotte Donovan, Project Coordinator and ‘Moment’ by Artistic Director, Molly Sturges.

A key note speech by Mike White, Director of Arts in Health at the Centre for Arts and Humanities in Health and Medicine (CAHHM) at the University of Durham, reflected on the role and value of the arts in healthcare.