Today we launch our Arts for Health Partnership Programme Timeline!
Created by Programme Manager, Justine Foster, the Timeline traces the growth of the Arts for Health Partnership Programme, West Cork, alongside national and international arts and health developments. Spanning from 1998 to 2024, it explores developments in three key areas; Partnership, Programme, and Projects. These sections highlight different perspectives of the programme. However, in practice, they are deeply interconnected, evolving together.
The Timeline pinpoints key moments. From a pilot project with Skibbereen Community Hospital in 2002, to the first musician joining the team of visual artists in 2008. Former President Mary McAleese’s visit in 2010, to the launch of the first Strategic Plan in 2012. The development of a new dementia friendly gallery programme, and the first Arts and Health residency at Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre. Wonderful projects like Last Dance, Cabinet of Curiosity, By the Smoke of the Train, and Starling Song Project. An adapted Community Hospital and Day Care Centre programme in 2020, followed by the development of a programme strand for family carers. A new service level agreement between Uillinn and HSE to secure and consolidate HSE funding, a visit from Christopher Bailey (Arts and Health Lead at WHO), and so many pivotal and exciting moments in between.
Capturing our summarised story over the last 25 years, the Timeline is a wonderful resource for artists, arts workers, or anyone interested in learning a little more about the programme. Read through the highlights, or follow each link to delve deeper into the world of Arts for Health.
Creative Brain Week 2025
This year’s Creative Brain Week (9 – 13 June) will feature the Timeline as part of their Threads programme.
As part of Threads, small groups will focus on how to move the dial on the rich discussions arising from Creative Brain Week. In three years, there has been nine Creative Brain Weeks across five countries, multiple cultures and many varieties of health and care service. Discussions as part of the Threads programme set out to shape the future of brain health by moving interesting and informative conversations to specific action. Areas focused on including Creativity, Brain Health, Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia, Policy, Health Care and Education.
Threads discussions focusing on Arts and Health in Ireland will take place on Wednesday 11 June and Thursday 12 June, Naughton Institute, Trinity College Dublin.
‘Tracing the timeline for Arts & Health development in Ireland is the backdrop to facilitated discussion about creative work as transformation or transaction, apprenticeship, cultural ecosystem and the ability of Ireland’s rich tradition of arts and health to collaborate meaningfully with its health and care services.’
The Timeline will be added to each day, after discussions led by Emma Eager and Réalta. Justine Foster will contribute on Wednesday 11 June, and Mary Grehan (Public Art Curator at Children’s Health Ireland) will contribute on Thursday 12 June.
These sessions will take place from 12pm – 2pm, and are open to the public. Tickets are free, but capacity is limited. Find out more about Threads and book your spot here.
Image: A Dive in Line, 2024 Research Project by Áine Rose Connell.