Healing Arts is a global campaign by the Jameel Arts & Health Lab in collaboration with the World Health Organization
Healing Arts Scotland is an initiative by Scottish Ballet and the Jameel Arts & Health Lab in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is part of the Lab's global Healing Arts campaign of city and country-wide activations, events, dialogues, and collaborations designed to socialize arts and health research and drive public engagement for the vital role of the arts in health.
Whether it was dance classes, choir rehearsals, creative writing workshops, or pot throwing, every day in Scotland, fantastic events took place all across the country that helped improve people’s wellbeing. Healing Arts Scotland was a week-long celebration of these events, highlighting the joy they brought to those who took part and their importance to the nation’s physical, mental, and social health. This was the first-ever countrywide Healing Arts Week, following previous city-wide celebrations around the world, including New York, Paris, London, Venice, and Jaipur.
Some key events that took place included an outdoor large-scale Opening Celebration performance at the Scottish Parliament as part of the Edinburgh International Festival, two days of speakers and panel discussions on the impact of healing arts activity, a Wellbeing Concert in Glasgow, and a series of special events in Aberdeen, Orkney, and Lewis. Everyone across Scotland was invited to register an event they wanted to include on the Healing Arts Scotland website. Getting involved helped highlight the many brilliant events that occurred across Scotland, encouraged more people to take part, and showcased their importance.
“The Edinburgh International Festival is proud to be part of the first ever nationwide Healing Arts campaign in Scotland. This is an important dialogue to help address health inequalities across the country and we look forward to facilitating those conversations throughout August.”
"Many cities around the world have taken part in our series of Healing Arts activations, but I am excited to see Scotland taking a truly national approach. Scotland’s unique sense of community, its embrace of all art forms, and its commitment to health for all promise to be an exciting combination. I can’t wait to participate and see what the communities come up with."
"Healing Arts Scotland 2024 will be an inspirational week-long celebration of the huge impact the arts has on the nation’s health and well-being. Scottish Ballet is proud to be leading on this global outreach project in collaboration with the WHO and a host of partner organisations throughout Scotland."
Scottish Ballet, founded in 1969, is Scotland’s national dance company. Based in Glasgow, the company performs regularly across Scotland, throughout the UK and internationally – promoting Scotland’s pioneering spirit far and wide. Scottish Ballet is a National Centre for Dance Health delivering specialised programmes for those living with dementia, Parkinson’s, MS and Long Covid. Under CEO/Artistic Director Christopher Hampson, Scottish Ballet presents bold, adventurous performances rooted in strong classical technique, accompanied by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra. The company’s broad repertoire includes new versions of the classics and ground-breaking commissions, both on stage and screen. It is funded by the Scottish Government.
The Jameel Arts & Health Lab is a global initiative to measurably improve health and wellbeing through the arts. With a focus on overlooked and underserved communities, the Lab leverages scientific evidence, artist-led advocacy, and capacity building to drive the integration of the arts into mainstream healthcare. The Jameel Arts & Health Lab was launched in January 2023 by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, the Steinhardt School at New York University, Community Jameel, and Culturunners. Established to measurably improve health and wellbeing through the arts, it is the first major initiative of its kind to be supported by WHO.
