Experiences of Attending and Delivering Creative Health Programmes Commissioned by a UK Local Authority

Creative health interventions have been increasingly embedded in local and national public health strategies. More robust evidence is needed to inform implementation at scale. This study qualitatively explored experiences of attending and delivering a group-based creative programme in the United Kingdom and participant perspectives about the influence on health and wellbeing. A qualitative study of six programmes delivered between 2021 and 2023 was co-developed with researchers, creative health programme deliverers, and public health commissioners. Programmes targeted children with additional needs; adults living with mental health/physical health/other challenges; parents and infants; or adults with dementia and their carers. Interviews and focus groups with 62 participants included 49 programme attendees and 13 creative practitioners who delivered the programmes. Reflexive thematic analysis generated five themes: contributing to a journey of improved health and wellbeing, making connections and sharing experiences, creating conditions to promote engagement, finding enjoyment and opportunity in creativity, and practitioners’ experiences of current and future delivery. This qualitative study adds understanding about the holistic benefits and underpinning mechanisms of creative health group-based programmes. Findings revealed participant perspectives about how the creative health programmes influenced their health, wellbeing, and social connection in largely positive ways, and that these experiences were supported by skilled practitioners. The evidence was insufficient to assess how successfully the creative health programmes engaged diverse groups living with the greatest health and wellbeing challenges. Future work is needed to understand the acceptability and effectiveness of creative health programmes among diverse groups to ensure that programmes reduce rather than contribute to health inequalities.