A message from our Creative Health & Wellbeing Director, Lucy Bell.
💡 From 2023 onwards, OutPost Arts has been FLAT OOT building, delivering, coordinating and evaluating ‘DG Creative Wellbeing’ – a partnership project that was made possible because of the amazing people working across arts, culture, social care and health sectors in our fabulous wee region… Before this project, D&G didn’t have a formal creative health programme, and while community creative prescribing was happening, it wasn’t receiving the attention, credit or the funding that it deserves.
💥 It’s been tough to get this off the ground and running, and there’s more work to do to ensure it’s sustainable (“it’s a forever project!” is my catchphrase). We’ve met amazing folk, learned so much, connected to hyper local, regional and national strategies, working in lockstep with a whole host of organisations, groups, services and teams. A massive shout out to NHS D&G, the DG Creative Wellbeing project team (Di, Liz, Phoebe, Georgia, Kirstin and Alison), and our talented associate artists for their partnership, collaboration and shared vision!
For me, I never really did anything within a community setting due to my social anxiety. Speaking to new people is quite scary, but this has pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to speak with cool and interesting people that I would have never had the chance to meet without being part of this project.
❤️🩹 On a personal level, it’s simultaneously aged me (anyone who works in third sector knows what it’s like to be constantly pushing a giant, heavy rock up a hill) AND rejuvenated my passion for art, allowing me to explore my own potential, and develop completely new skills and understandings. The impact and stories of how the work has benefited people’s lives have sustained me in the hardest moments.
📍 We’re determined to raise awareness of what’s happening in the South of Scotland in terms of creative health and wellbeing as we’re often less of a priority in comparison with more populated regions. Although attitudes are definitely shifting, we absolutely have work to do.
Right from the beginning, Art Journal Project had an impact – when we had to do doodling/continuous line drawings every day, I combined it with a short walk first thing in the morning. It helped me get my head straight and definitely made my really stressy life at the time feel a bit calmer and helped me cope better with my day.
📢 HELP US by sharing this report and please let people you think might be interested know about what’s happening in the South of Scotland!
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