Cross-border creativity fosters health and connection

The Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny was a hive of creative activity on Wednesday 15 October showcasing a vibrant, health-centred, borderless approach to wellbeing. Participants from Donegal and the Derry City and Strabane area joined together to connect for a day celebrating positive mental health through a creative lens.

This Shared Island Creative Health and Wellbeing project delivered a tailored programme collaborating with Social Prescribers in Donegal, the Healthy Communities network in Derry and Strabane, their clients, and cultural providers to create a programme within their own locality, helping remove barriers and increase participation in a co-designed creative approach to health and wellbeing.

The project, called Take 5, took place over a five-week period in September and October. Each week one of five themes: ‘take notice;’ ‘be active;’ ‘keep learning;’ ‘give;’ and ‘connect’ was explored.

Speaking at the event Maureen Kerr, Creative Ireland Coordinator for Donegal County Council said: “We’re delighted to bring a creative approach to health and wellbeing to the North West through this Shared Island funding provided by Creative Ireland. Donegal County Council is committed to exploring opportunities to inspire and transform people, places and communities through creativity. We look forward to building on the partnerships formed through working together to deliver this project. It’s obvious from today’s activities that all participants and facilitators thoroughly enjoyed participating in this project, which will hopefully have long-term impact on their wellbeing.”

Deeloping Healthy Communities Chief Executive Edel O’Doherty extended praise for the collaboration by saying: “The Shared Island Creative Health and Wellbeing project provided a wonderful opportunity to test out the benefits of the arts among several groups on both sides of the border, helping participants to build confidence, make connections, and experience the positive impact of creativity on health and wellbeing, while also hearing their feedback on this co-designed, community-centred approach”.

Anne McAteer, Health Promotion Manager HSE commended the participants and artists for the work produced. "This funding from the Creative Communities Pillar allowed our Social Prescribing Link Workers in Donegal to offer clients the opportunity to explore the themes of the Take 5 Mental Health Promotion messaging in new ways." she said. "The benefits have been many - meeting new people and creating friendships; finding new interests and discovering hidden talents and skillsets; exploring the world and seeing it through the lens of artistic work.

"Together with our colleagues in Letterkenny University Hospital, we hope to further develop the partnership and expand the project into other communities, reaching greater numbers of the citizens in the North West of the island of Ireland."

Take 5 was made possible through Creative Ireland, an all-of-government culture and wellbeing programme which reaches into the heart of communities through its Creative Communities pillar led by Local Authorities across Ireland. Funding for this project was received from the Shared Island Creative Health and Wellbeing fund.

With this support, the Take 5 project has laid a foundation for over 100 participants across the North West to build confidence, make connections, and see the world from a new perspective, while also developing skills and enjoying the health benefits that creativity can bring.