Arts for the Blues: CPD training on safe uses of the arts to support mental health and wellbeing
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Salford
Department Name: Sch of Arts, Media & Creative Technology
Abstract
'Arts for the Blues' is a project that offers safe ways of using the arts for mental health and wellbeing. It's a model for groupwork that uses a range of creative approaches including visual art, creative writing, music, drama, dance and movement. It has a structure but it's highly adaptable to different people's needs.
Arts for the Blues is based on eight 'key ingredients' that can help people change in a positive way: encouraging active engagement, learning skills, developing relationships, expressing emotions, processing at a deeper level, gaining understanding, experimenting with different ways of being and integrating useful material. It also works in four phases: introduction, encouraging strengths, addressing difficulties, and closure.
The model is based on a mixture of academic research, public input, contributions from NHS staff and service users and artistic work, and has been piloted in-person and online with the NHS, in the community, and in schools.
This particular project aims to develop already-existing Arts for the Blues training materials into a two-day 'Continuing Professional Development' course, supported by a website and a reflective practice group. We hope that this will enable us to spread this way of working more widely and encourage take-up of our model in frontline health services as well as among private practitioners.
Arts for the Blues is based on eight 'key ingredients' that can help people change in a positive way: encouraging active engagement, learning skills, developing relationships, expressing emotions, processing at a deeper level, gaining understanding, experimenting with different ways of being and integrating useful material. It also works in four phases: introduction, encouraging strengths, addressing difficulties, and closure.
The model is based on a mixture of academic research, public input, contributions from NHS staff and service users and artistic work, and has been piloted in-person and online with the NHS, in the community, and in schools.
This particular project aims to develop already-existing Arts for the Blues training materials into a two-day 'Continuing Professional Development' course, supported by a website and a reflective practice group. We hope that this will enable us to spread this way of working more widely and encourage take-up of our model in frontline health services as well as among private practitioners.
Organisations
- University of Salford (Lead Research Organisation)
- British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (Collaboration)
- Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (Collaboration)
- MERSEY CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (Collaboration)
- MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (Collaboration)
- Curious Minds (Collaboration)
- Nature in Mind (Collaboration)
- Queen Mary University of London (Collaboration)
- PENNINE CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (Collaboration)
- Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (Collaboration)
- North West Coast Greater Manchester Academic Health Science Network (Collaboration)
- Arts Council England (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (Collaboration)
- British Association for Counselling BACP (Project Partner)
- Innovation Agency NWC (Project Partner)
- NHS Research and Development North West (Project Partner)
| Description | The overall aim of the project was to launch the Arts for the Blues training material on a commercial basis as a Continuing Professional Development course for face to face, online and blended/hybrid delivery. The specific objectives were and how we achieved them are as follows: Objective 1 To develop existing training materials for an integrated blended/hybrid delivery of CPD across face-to-face and online platforms. Achievement We have currently delivered eight instances of our CPD offering on a commercial basis, with three more dates advertised for the coming year (see below), as a mixture of in-person and online (if not yet hybrid) formats. This has expanded from an initial programme of one-day awareness training and two-day practitioner training (with follow on supervision sessions for quality assurance) to now include a four-day supervisory training to enable organisations to train their own A4B supervisors alongside their practitioners. This has also included a licensing agreement with organisations to enable them to fully implement the model in practice. Objective 2 To develop a supported practitioner website with a 'toolkit' and resource of materials for use during and post-training. Achievement The practitioner website is nearly complete, and most of the materials have been gathered, in addition to this we also produced two full-colour printed training manuals for use in our in-person delivery. Objective 3 To establish an ongoing reflective practice group to support practitioner development during and post-training. Achievement The reflective practice group has run on a quarterly basis, but specifically for the CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) practitioners that we trained in November and December 2023 and February 2024. Objective 4 To establish the commercial viability of the package and develop a marketing strategy going forward. Achievement We are currently finalising a business plan which takes account of what we've learned during the funded period and looks ahead to consider our potential. In addition, we have expanded the business model to include a research-only licensing model to enable researchers around the world to utilise the model for specific groups, growing the portfolio of Arts for the Blues based interventions. Our partners for this project were drawn from Arts Council England, NHS Research & Development North West, the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy and Health Innovation North West Coast and we met with them for three steering sessions during the project. These were enormously important to establish a sense of the larger context for the project and possible routes for development. |
| Exploitation Route | Our first key delivery of commercial CPD was to the CAMHS services of three NHS Trusts in Greater Manchester: Pennine Care; Greater Manchester Mental Health; Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust over three days in November and December 2023 and February 2024. The evaluation for these events indicated an 8.95/10 average overall satisfaction rating with 79.5% confident that they could deliver Arts for the Blues in their practice. The confidence ratings for specific aspects of the practice ranged between 17% and 76%: conducting initial assessments (76%), using the eight key ingredients (71%), following the four phases of group process (76%), completing the evaluation (71%), and there was a strong interest in joining a reflective practice group and having Arts for the Blues supervision (76%). (see impact narrative for more information). Whilst our two one day 'open' CPD events in June and July 2024 indicated an 8.75/10 overall satisfaction rating, slightly fewer participants who responded (64%) were confident that they could deliver Arts for the Blues in their practice. However, our most recent delivery in March 2025, indicated an 9.33/10 overall satisfaction rating, and although for this open delivery we removed the readiness to practice question, 92% of respondents wished to continue their training journey with us. Our remaining programme for 2025 includes two in-person training events and a further one-day open taster. |
| Sectors | Healthcare |
| URL | https://artsfortheblues.com/ |
| Description | Following our delivery of the CPD training, three NHS trusts CAMHS services so far have delivered Arts for the Blues to 19 children. In terms of quantitative evaluation using the measures RCADS (Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale), CORS (Child Outcome Rating Scale), WHO 5 (World Health Organisation-Five Well-being Index) and EQ-5D-Y-3L (a health-related quality of life questionnaire), preliminary results suggest some improvements across the range. In terms of more qualitative evaluation, some verbal comments from participants in the Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust delivery included: "I was worried about coming but I didn't need to. I'm glad I came to sessions and it was good to not feel judged." "I liked the group. I feel a lot less socially awkward and it gave me a reason to get out of the house." "The group has helped me gain more confidence and it got me out more which is good." "I would recommend other young people to go for it!" "I really enjoyed coming every week, it helped me get out more and be around other young people." |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Healthcare |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal Economic |
| Description | CPD training |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | In terms of more qualitative evaluation, some verbal comments from clients in the Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust CAMHS delivery included: "I was worried about coming but I didn't need to. I'm glad I came to sessions and it was good to not feel judged." "I liked the group. I feel a lot less socially awkward and it gave me a reason to get out of the house." "The group has helped me gain more confidence and it got me out more which is good." "I would recommend other young people to go for it!" "I really enjoyed coming every week, it helped me get out more and be around other young people." Whilst our two one day 'open' CPD events in June and July 2024 indicated an 8.75/10 overall satisfaction rating, slightly fewer participants who responded (64%) were confident that they could deliver Arts for the Blues in their practice. However, our most recent delivery in March 2025, indicated an 9.33/10 overall satisfaction rating, and although for this open delivery we removed the readiness to practice question, 92% of respondents wished to continue their training journey with us. Some examples of qualitative feedback included: "Thank you! This was such a safe & well held space. The level of group participation, support & encouragement was wonderful." "I really enjoyed it and saw so much possibility. I would also see it being really powerful in the context of working with Men and Men's groups." Very enjoyable, and able to see how flexible the model is, and how powerful." "It felt well considered and was held beautifully by the facilitator. I thought it was engaging, fun, creatively thought provoking and inspiring!" Our remaining programme for 2025 includes two in-person training events and a further one-day open taster. |
| Description | ABC-f: Arts for the Blues for Children and young people (9-13 year-olds) with symptoms of depression using mental health services: A feasibility study on an evidence-based creative group psychotherapy compared to treatment as usual |
| Amount | £249,248 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NIHR207139 |
| Organisation | National Institute for Health Research |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2025 |
| End | 09/2029 |
| Description | Arts4Us - Working Together to Scale up Place-Based Arts Initiatives that Support the Mental Health of Children and Young People |
| Amount | £2,182,280 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/Z505493/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2024 |
| End | 07/2027 |
| Description | Feasibility study of implementation of an evidence-based creative group psychotherapy for depression (Arts for the Blues) into primary care mental health services |
| Amount | £397,193 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NIHR304099 |
| Organisation | National Institute for Health Research |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2024 |
| End | 09/2028 |
| Description | Feasibility study of implementation of an evidence-based creative group psychotherapy for depression (Arts for the Blues) into primary care mental health services |
| Amount | £29,992 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ISRCTN17909701 |
| Organisation | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust |
| Sector | Hospitals |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 03/2024 |
| Description | Research Impact Fund |
| Amount | £8,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Salford |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2024 |
| End | 07/2025 |
| Description | Arts Council England |
| Organisation | Arts Council England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Via this working relationship we were able to share information with the Arts Council about working on the boundaries of arts and health and the possibilities for innovation in this interdisciplinary area. |
| Collaborator Contribution | We were able to gain useful advise and insights about how to approach artist stakeholders. This relationship has continued in the context of the Salford Creative Health Network. |
| Impact | The ongoing development of the CPD training and attempting to make the offer available and attractive to artists |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust |
| Organisation | Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | One-day training at AWP planned for Mar 2025 (10 practitioners) |
| Collaborator Contribution | One-day training at AWP planned for Mar 2025 (10 practitioners) |
| Impact | To be realised |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy |
| Organisation | British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We were able to inform the BACP about a new innovation in mental health care and the complexities of realising a possible training route. |
| Collaborator Contribution | We were able to benefit from the BACP's knowledge about accreditation pathways to inform our thinking about the time frame needed for such development. We also responded to the suggestion that we consider BACP as a possible context for further advertising and promotion, which we followed up in 24/25. |
| Impact | Still emerging in terms of longer term plans to develop the CPD into an accredited training package. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust |
| Organisation | Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Two-day training at CNTW planned for Jun 2025 (10 practitioners). |
| Collaborator Contribution | Two-day training at CNTW planned for Jun 2025 (10 practitioners). |
| Impact | To be realised. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Curious Minds |
| Organisation | Curious Minds |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The team delivered Arts for the Blues training to 15 practitioners for the Rhyme & Reason project, and also participated in a residential team event preparing for the project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The partners engaged fully in the training and subsequent event and are currently preparing for delivery of the project with additional supervisory support from Arts for the Blues. |
| Impact | Outcomes to be realised Spring 2025 |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust: Child and Adolescent Mental Heath Services (CAMHS) |
| Organisation | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Hospitals |
| PI Contribution | We were able to train 23 practitioners over two days, following which 12 requested follow-up training and ongoing supervision as they delivered the model with their clients. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust CAMHS, alongside Pennine Care CAMHS and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust CAMHS, purchased three full days of training featuring our training and research team members, and also follow-on supervision. |
| Impact | We are continuing to monitor the outcomes from the trainees' delivery of our model as 'treatment as usual' in their services, and have received some initial evaluation. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Innovation Agency (Academic Health Science Network for the North West Coast) |
| Organisation | North West Coast Greater Manchester Academic Health Science Network |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We invited the partner to regular steering meetings and kept them updated on the progress of the project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The partners gave high level conceptual and strategic advice on the direction of the project. |
| Impact | We are hoping to realise fully the potential of this relationship with further consultation in future. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust: Child and Adolescent Mental Heath Services (CAMHS) |
| Organisation | Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We were able to train 23 practitioners over two days, following which 12 requested follow-up training and ongoing supervision as they delivered the model with their clients |
| Collaborator Contribution | Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust CAMHS, alongside Pennine Care CAMHS and Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust CAMHS, purchased three full days of training featuring our training and research team members, and also follow-on supervision. |
| Impact | We are continuing to monitor the outcomes from the trainees' delivery of our model as 'treatment as usual' in their services, and have received some initial evaluation. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Merseycare NHS Foundation Trust: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) |
| Organisation | Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We trained 12 practitioners in Sept 2024. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Merseycare NHS Foundation Trust (CAMHS) received Arts for the Blues training for 12 practitioners with the potential for follow-on supervision if they choose to deliver to their clients (Sept 2024, ongoing). |
| Impact | We are awaiting further advice as to whether Merserycare intend to implement their training in service delivery. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust: Child and Adolescent Mental Heath Services (CAMHS |
| Organisation | Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Pennine Care CAMHS, alongside Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust; Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust CAMHS, purchased three full days of training featuring our training and research team members, and also follow-on supervision. |
| Collaborator Contribution | We were able to train 23 practitioners over two days, following which 12 requested follow-up training and ongoing supervision as they delivered the model with their clients. |
| Impact | We are continuing to monitor the outcomes from the trainees' delivery of our model as 'treatment as usual' in their services, and have received some initial evaluation. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Queen Mary, University of London |
| Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Knowledge Exchange in terms of providing the Arts for the Blues model for an ongoing international project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Delivering training to 8 practitioners online and in Kathmandu, Nepal (Dec 24) and planning training in Pakistan and Nigeria as part of a new research study funded by NIHR Global Awards (application at stage 2). |
| Impact | Training of practitioners in Nepal -- awaiting data on delivery. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Salford MIND |
| Organisation | Nature in Mind |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Provided training to a MIND employee during June 2024 open CPD event at University of Salford. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The organisation contacted us wishing to deliver Arts for the Blues as part of their Rainbow MIND (for LGBTQ+) project, and proposed partnering for research (in-kind) purposes, which we accepted. |
| Impact | To be realised |
| Start Year | 2024 |