Arts Health Network NSW ACT

Saturday morning reading. Renown sociologist Prof Deborah Lupton has released a new 'booklet' on creative methods for social inquiry and research communication.

Each open access article from this team gives so much. Heard & Bartleet "How can community music shape individual and collective well-being? A case study of a place-based initiative". Health Promotion Journal of Australia. Image Anthony DELANOIX. https://buff.ly/3zDzreS Abstract Issue Addressed There is an urgent need to investigate innovative and creative approaches in health promotion that support work towards health equity. In response, this study explores the potential for arts, and community music specifically, to strengthen individual and collective well-being. Methods This study used a qualitative case study methodology that involved interviews, focus groups and ethnographic observation with participants (N = 13), facilitator (N = 1) and support staff (N = 2) of an established community music initiative conducted in an urban community. Results Findings point to outcomes across socioecological levels with researchers identifying positive health and well-being implications for participants including joy, healing and a sense of purpose, creative self-expression, confidence, social connection and contribution. Positive outcomes for the wider community were also identified including developing community ties, promoting safety and shaping and sharing of collective identity. Findings suggest community-led opportunities for engagement can support healing and empowerment for people who are marginalised, and this can enable active community participation related to challenging the status quo and developing a shared set of values. Potential implications of these outcomes in relation to broader societal transformations are discussed. So what? By developing coalitions and collaborating with diverse sectors, including the arts and social sectors, health promotion practitioners and researchers can harness the creative strengths and resources that exist within a community to support positive individual and collective well-being.

Open access book: Creative Ageing and the Arts of Care: Reframing Active Ageing. Elizabeth Brookes. https://buff.ly/3XSqMgW

Creative Elder practitioner @MaurieVoisey-Barlin writes "The wonderful Michael Verde is soon to visit our shores. I feel very strongly about Michael‘s work - there is a certain magic that is unique. He is a teacher, pedagog, genius, evangelist, storyteller, a master of connection, a humble student & life long learner . . . like no one I’ve ever been in the company of. His education is deep & broad. He is well read, well travelled, and well-versed in all aspects in the world of engaging with dementia & the culture that surrounds it. His work is simple yet profound, mesmerising & insightfully poetic. And his mission is noble & authentic." If you are interested, the tour info is at https://buff.ly/4etMMpm

From Jameel Arts and Health Lab. How Do We Realize the Potential of the Arts to Support Health and Wellbeing in the United States?: Key learnings from the Arts and Health Caucus held in advance of Healing, Bridging, Thriving: A Summit on Arts and Culture in our Communities, co-hosted by the White House Domestic Policy Council and the National Endowment for the Arts .

Of interest. From the Global Alliance for Behavioural Health and Social Justice. Social Prescribing to Advance Health Equity - a policy brief.

Saturday morning delights! So thrilled that this webinar with Prof Genevieve Dingle about social prescribing is available through the CREATE Centre YouTube channel. Prof Dingle does such an amazing job of talking about where social prescribing has come from and what it can offer us - it is so well worth watching. Hosted by AHNNA President A/Prof Claire Hooker.

Arts & Health is currently recruiting for a specialized Associate Editor role. This Associate Editor will focus mainly on audience engagement including social media and editorial board engagement. Key tasks will include producing X/Twitter posts about articles and themed threads about key dates ie. International Women's Day, Black History month that highlight relevant articles. Another task includes managing an annual survey to our editorial board members about experiences of reviewing with a view to optimise the process. This role is a great opportunity for an academic or practitioner with strong public engagement skills and experience in digital communication. The successful candidate will possess the commitment, drive and ability to engage academic and non-academic communities with the Arts & Health journal through online tools. Boy does this journal need you. I keep having to source my own images for these posts! Image: David Clode https://buff.ly/3TQEX4P

Research. Bone JK, Fancourt D, Sonke JK, Bu F. The Changing Relationship Between Hobby Engagement and Substance Use in Young People: Latent Growth Modelling of the Add Health Cohort. J Youth Adolesc. 2024 Jul 16. doi: 10.1007/s10964-024-02047-x. Image Alex Lvrs. https://buff.ly/3XCamsC Abstract Cross-sectional and some longitudinal evidence suggests doing hobbies can reduce substance use, but findings have been inconsistent, and whether associations differ across adolescence remains unclear. This study included 7454 Add Health participants (50% female, 77% White, age mean=14.95 and SD = 1.56). Participants were split into three groups, according to whether they were early (aged 11-14 at baseline), mid (aged 15-16), or late (aged 17-20) adolescents at baseline. The trajectories of binge drinking, marijuana, and tobacco use were analysed in latent growth models across Waves 1-5 (1994-2018). Concurrent associations between substance use and hobby engagement were tested at Waves 1-3 separately in the three age groups. Doing hobbies more frequently was associated with lower odds of binge drinking and marijuana and tobacco use in early adolescence. Although there was initially a similar protective association in mid and late adolescence, this had reversed by Wave 3 for binge drinking and marijuana use, when participants were young adults. This change in the association could be a result of differing social contexts, changes in peer influence, or an indication that creative hobbies are particularly beneficial. It could explain previous inconsistent findings and demonstrates the importance of considering developmental differences when investigating engagement in hobbies.

A treat from where arts-health meets environmental humanities. Hydrofictions: a watery experiment in transdisciplinary environmental storytelling. By Ally Bisshop & Zeynep Akcay.