House of Commons: Value of UK Arts & Health

A timely roundtable, hosted by John Slinger MP and UK Entrepreneur and Jameel Arts & Health lab co-founding director, Stephen Stapleton, took place at the Houses of Parliament, focused on the global opportunity for UK Arts. The event brought together a distinguished group of parliamentarians, cultural and health leaders, scientists, artists, and educators, to discuss the significant role of arts and culture in addressing global challenges and fostering societal well-being.

The group proposed a radical reimagining of UK Arts abroad, calling for strategic cross-sector collaboration, supported by Government, to open up international opportunities for UK arts in two streams where the UK has unrivalled expertise and capabilities, and where, many argued, there is enormous potential for the UK creative industries to thrive and promote UK values on the world stage, namely Arts Education and Arts & Health

Framing for the discussion was provided by Daisy Fancourt, Professor of Psychobiology & Epidemiology at University College London and Director of the WHO’s Collaborating Centre on Arts and Health, and Stuart Bartholomew, former Vice Chancellor of the Arts University Bournemouth and Dean of Media at the University of the Arts London. 

The roundtable emphasised the growing recognition of the UK’s arts sector as a powerful tool in advancing health and education goals both nationally and globally. Discussions highlighted the role of arts in health through initiatives like social prescribing, which is demonstrating increasing promise as a way of connecting people to arts and culture, with estimates of financial returns of £3 for every £1 invested. Furthermore, the health benefits of arts engagement were underscored, with studies showing that those who engage regularly with the arts are half as likely to develop depression.

Prof Fancourt commented, “the evidence is now robustly demonstrating the health benefits of the arts, both in supporting the management and treatment of mental and physical illnesses and in preventing ill-health and promoting wellbeing. Recent economic analyses suggest that for working age adults alone, the health economic benefits of arts engagement are worth over £18.6 bn per year to the UK economy.”

Stuart Bartholomew commented, “The creative industries are a remarkable UK success story.  No longer at the periphery of the national economy they are right at the centre making a significant material and cultural contribution.  Ideas are the raw materials of creativity but unlike their physical counterparts they are neither mined or harvested.  Our national creativity has been nurtured through a system of arts education in our schools and colleges.  Foremost amongst these have been the specialist institutions and faculties of art, design, media and performance which provide the pipeline of talents for a sustainable creative economy.”

“The knowledge and experience of Uk arts education is and should be a valuable export and broader contributor to UK soft power.  To this end we require a more coherent approach which connects our collective expertise and presents a model of arts education capable of promoting creative industries and mirroring global trends in an increasingly digital world.” 

The event further emphasised the importance of the UK’s global cultural diplomacy and the role of arts in strengthening the country’s international influence. With the rise of the global impact of arts in public health and education, the roundtable reinforced the notion that the arts offer both a social and economic opportunity, providing pathways to better mental health, healthcare systems, and social cohesion.

Among the attendees were prominent Members of Parliament (MPs) including Sarah Edwards MP, Shaun Davies MP, Matt Rodda MP (PPS to the Northern Ireland Secretary), Sadik Al-Hassan MP, Jessica Toale MP (PPS to the Foreign Secretary), Jonathan Davies MP, David Baines MP, Chris Webb MP, John Slinger MP, Sonia Kumar MP, and Stephen Gethins MP (SNP). The discussion also welcomed Lord Ed Vaizey, former Arts Minister, Lord John Spellar, and Baroness Keeley, former shadow arts minister.

In addition, leading figures from the arts and health sectors contributed to the conversation, including Anna Somers Cocks, Founder Editor of The Art Newspaper; Sir Gregor Smith, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland; Angiolina Foster, Director of Public Health Scotland; Cortina Butler, Interim Arts Director at the British Council; Cedar Lewisohn, Curator of Public Art at the Southbank Center; Catherine Cassidy-Dedics, Director of Organisational Culture & Engagement, Scottish Ballet; Niamh White, Co-founder of Hospital Rooms; Alex Coulter, Director, National Centre for Creative Health.