Seeing Arts Health Research Enacted (SHARED): Understanding what works for whom in arts-based approaches for mental health and wellbeing globally

The AHRC's track record of innovation in relation to the role of Arts and Humanities in fostering mental health and wellbeing, nationally and internationally, is proven in the range and diversity of mental health-related themes and calls, including the Cultural Value Project, Connected Communities and the AHRC's contribution via GCRF-funded projects to the Global Mental Health agenda, which has principally been concerned with addressing inequities in mental health provision across the globe. Thanks in large part to the AHRC's leadership, the national case for the value of Arts and Humanities in enhancing mental health has now been effectively made, and the role of culture and the creative arts is firmly acknowledged in UKRI's cross-disciplinary agenda for mental health. Of the five cross-cutting themes identified in UKRI's mental health strategy, the first is 'effective intervention', enabling 'inclusive participation' and 'transferability, sustainability, scalability'. The key and pressing challenge now is to ensure a robust, evidence-based and research-informed approach that will enable Arts and Humanities research-based activities to be accessible to those who are experiencing them across the globe
This project rises to that challenge by establishing an international network to explore which Arts and Humanities research-based activities are working for whom (when, why and where) and what is evidenced best practice for embedding Arts and Humanities research in mental health provision in different socio-cultural contexts. Led by an interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities team (English Literature/Intercultural Education/Applied Linguistics) specialising in high-impact Arts/Humanities research-based mental health provision, and drawing on expertise in Psychology. Health Sciences and Modern Languages and Cultures, as well as working in collaboration with external health partners and arts organisations, the project will focus on the successful implementation and embedding of Arts and Humanities research in the promotion of mental health and wellbeing, nationally and internationally.
With a specific focus on equality and inclusion, and the special part Arts and Humanities research-based initiatives in Mental Health and Wellbeing have to play in overcoming health inequities and exclusions globally, the network is motivated by a 'trans-knowledging' agenda. Research evidence shows that high income countries have valuable lessons to learn from low-income ones, especially in embracing pluralism in respect of approaches to mental health and wellbeing. Three focused workshops - (i) strategic partnerships between Arts and Health providers (ii) inclusive practices in mental health care and (iii) alignment with existing community capacities - will bring together state-of-the-art knowledge and expertise with ongoing successful models of Arts and Humanities-based research in mental health from across the world. Building on the exceptionally strong track record in two UK cities (Liverpool and Glasgow) of innovative collaboration between arts and health, as well as on the interdisciplinary research team's experience of working locally and (inter)nationally on Arts/Humanities research for mental health, the series will emphasise: co-creating with stakeholders means for embedding research-based change; promoting joined-up planning of successful projects nationally and internationally; identifying what needs to be done in differentiating the benefits to mental health of distinct Arts/Humanities activities in different socio-cultural contexts.
The short-term objective of this network is to establish what has already worked and what lessons can be learnt for the immediate priorities in the aftermath of Covid-19. The long-term objective is to position Arts and Humanities at the forefront of an inclusive vision of mental health provision and the AHRC in the vanguard of addressing the national and global mental health challenge in the future.