Bradford-based creative wellbeing curator and Combined Arts Producer, Oluwaseun Dosunmu, is bringing together culture, participatory art and creative wellbeing through three interconnected initiatives designed to strengthen connections and support creatives.
The programme, scheduled for Saturday, September 12, at The Care Inn Centre, an emerging creative wellbeing hub in Bradford, will bring together artists, arts leaders, cultural programmers, producers and creative health practitioners from across the UK.
It will also feature DJs, visual artists, musicians, poets and other creative practitioners, creating a platform for participants to explore issues affecting creative lives and careers.
Dosunmu said the initiatives were designed to use culture and creativity to strengthen belonging, encourage meaningful conversations and promote greater awareness of wellbeing and suicide prevention among creatives.
“Culture creates connection; art creates conversation; and conversation creates collective action,” he said.
The first initiative, Culture Link, uses food, language, music, performance and shared cultural experiences to celebrate diversity, strengthen belonging and provide opportunities for local talent to be seen and heard.
The second, Paint Converse, uses participatory painting as a starting point for conversations around culture, identity, belonging, wellbeing and community, while encouraging social interaction and meaningful dialogue.
The third, Global Creative Wellbeing Convention, serves as a sector-facing platform bringing together creatives and creative health practitioners to examine issues including stress, burnout, creative blocks, loss, emotional wellbeing, stigma and help-seeking.
Dosunmu said the programme would also launch the Global Creative Voice for Wellbeing, bringing together arts leaders, cultural programmers, producers, artists and creative health practitioners to advocate healthier and more supportive creative environments.
“We want to create spaces where creatives can speak openly about their wellbeing, reduce stigma and become more aware of the support available to them,” he said.
He noted that although creative work could be deeply rewarding, creatives often faced pressures that were not immediately visible, including emotional strain, burnout and experiences of loss.
A renowned dancer, visual artist and broadcaster participating in the programme is expected to highlight some of these challenges, including burnout, creative blocks, emotional pressure and loss, as part of efforts to make conversations around creative mental health more accessible.
The Care Inn Centre, founded and led by Dosunmu, combines therapeutic wellbeing practices, arts-based engagement, cultural programming and community connection, with the aim of creating a space where creativity and wellbeing can intersect.
“Through our wider practice, we are developing a creative wellbeing ecosystem that uses culture, participatory arts and community engagement to support connection, expression and wellbeing,” Dosunmu said.
The programme is expected to contribute to broader conversations on creative wellbeing by encouraging collaboration among practitioners and creating opportunities for more open discussions about mental health and support within the creative sector.
