Creative Health Network
A Collaborative Approach to Arts and Health Across Northern Ireland
The Creative Health Network is an innovative, cross-sector initiative founded to connect health professionals, artists, and community leaders across Northern Ireland.
Arts Care is proud to be a co-founder and major partner in this network, which leverages the powerful connection between creativity and wellbeing to address key health and social challenges.
Together, the Network strives for a healthier, more inclusive society by integrating the arts into health and social care.
Who Are Creative Health Network
The Creative Health Network brings together a diverse and passionate community of members, including:
Health Sector Professionals
Doctors, therapists, and health and social care leads
Artists & Cultural Leaders
From organisations like Arts Care, The Playhouse, and the Ulster Orchestra
Community Organisations
Including Healthy Living Centres and cultural institutions across Northern Ireland
Academic & Research Experts
From Queen’s University, Ulster University, and beyond
By uniting these perspectives, the Network fosters holistic wellbeing and aims to inspire lasting change across Northern Ireland’s communities.
Mission & Vision
The Creative Health Network works toward an inclusive, interconnected model for health and wellbeing that prioritises:
Enhanced Quality of Life
Through creative health initiatives accessible to all
Improved Health Outcomes
Addressing social determinants and supporting mental and physical wellbeing
Strengthened Health Services
Alleviating pressures on the NHS, enriching patient care, and boosting morale
Objectives
As a collective, the Creative Health Network is focused on achieving key objectives:
Building Connectivity
Strengthening relationships across sectors to drive collaboration, raise awareness, and foster resource sharing.
Unified Advocacy
Forming a cohesive voice to champion the value of arts in health, while liaising with commissioners, funders, and policy makers.
Improving Efficiency
Aligning efforts across members to reduce duplication and meet the needs of diverse communities more effectively.
Securing and Sharing Funding
Developing joint funding applications and pooling resources to attract additional support to Northern Ireland.
Promoting Best Practice
Disseminating best practices and contributing to the growing evidence base for creative health interventions.
How They Work
The Creative Health Network is a deliberately non-hierarchical, collaborative movement, guided by the principles of the Better Way Network:
Relational & Collaborative
Building partnerships based on trust, respect, and shared vision.
Asset-Based Approach
Focusing on members’ unique strengths and areas of expertise.
Flexible & Strategic
Embracing adaptability to ensure sustainable, long-term impact.
Regular meetings and community events enable members to work together with regional health and cultural leaders, aligning creative health efforts with broader local and national health strategies.
Read The Northern Ireland Creative Health Network Review 2025
Over the past year the Northern Ireland Creative Health Network has moved from an informal group to a recognised, well-connected network with a steering group, clear strategy, strong partnerships and a growing public profile.
Membership rose from 78 to 129, events across the region drew more than 500 attendees, and relationships with health system leaders have matured despite ongoing NHS pressures.
Convenor Will Nicholson highlighted the work of the network in his recent review report.
Download the full 2025 Northern Ireland Creative Health Network Review.
Creative Health in Northern Ireland
2024 to 2025 Review Highlights
Produced a high-level strategy with five priorities and a shared evidence base for members and stakeholders.
Helped establish the Derry and Strabane Creative Healthy City Taskforce, supporting a cross-border scoping project funded at €50k through Creative Ireland’s Shared Island Fund.
Took a funded role on Ulster University’s CHOICE project and supported wider research collaborations.
Became an active member of the UK and Ireland Arts and Health Network of Networks, contributing to the upcoming State of the Sector survey.
Delivered major public engagements including the Derry and Strabane Creative Healthy City Conference on 4 September 2025 and a fringe session at NICON 2024, significantly raising the profile of creative health.
Creative Health: What Is Next?
Creative Health Strategy
Coordinating a £20k application to NIHR Community Connections to co-create a Northern Ireland Creative Health Strategy and embed it in policy, working with leaders across PHA, NICON, Arts Council NI, NHS Trusts and academia.
Building Momentum
Continuing to build momentum through a 2025–2026 programme that includes networking at the Ulster Orchestra (16 September 2025), a Northern Trust area meeting (30 September 2025), the Irish Doctors Orchestra concert in L’Derry (30 November 2025), a research sandpit event (January 2026) and a joint event with Arts Council NI focused on mental health (March 2026).
Seed funding from the Baring Foundation has been crucial in establishing the network’s credibility, strengthening partnerships and laying foundations for sustainable growth.
Get Involved
The Creative Health Network welcomes all who are passionate about the transformative role of the arts in health. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, artist, community leader, or advocate, there’s a place for you in this dynamic network.
Evidence & Resources For Arts And Health
Explore our comprehensive collection of evidence-based research, toolkits, and training opportunities that demonstrate how arts and cultural engagement can transform health and wellbeing outcomes.