2013 – 2018 

Funded by: 
Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)  

Value: £1,499,755

Partners:  
Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham
De Montfort University
University of Wolverhampton
University of Derby
Royal College of Music
Studio Upstairs
Suresearch 
DanceXchange 
Aeirtec 
Workers’ Educational Association
CoolTan Arts
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Science Museum Group
Workers Educational Association

Website: http://www.healthhumanities.org/creative_practice_mutual_recovery/pages/view/home

This highly collaborative programme funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (Connected Communities Programme) aims to examine how creative practice in the arts and humanities can promote the kinds of connectedness and reciprocity that support ‘mutual recovery’ in terms of mental health and well-being.

Creative practice could be a powerful tool for bringing together people with mental health needs, informal carers and health, social care and education personnel, to connect in a mutual or reciprocal fashion to enhance mental health and well-being.

This programme marks a radical shift in vision that could generate new pathways for transforming these often discrete groups of people into egalitarian, appreciative and substantively connected communities – resilient communities of mutual hope, compassion and solidarity.

We contributed a work package called ‘Digital Dialogues’, which created a digital storytelling platform to enable mental health service users, service providers and carers to share their stories with each other.