In February 2024, the Creative Ireland Programme invited applications from Local Authorities for grant funding for projects supporting Health and Wellbeing through Creativity across 2024 and 2025. The call encouraged collaboration with neighbouring Local Authorities. 15 Creative Health and Wellbeing in the Community projects were successful. These include four all-island projects supported as part of the Shared Island Initiative, which will see Local Authorities work with partners in Northern Ireland. Over the coming weeks we will share a series of blogs from Creative Ireland, giving details of these exciting and important projects as they get underway.
Blog #3
Exploring Loss and Grief: Healing Through Art with the Compassionate Support of a Hospice Foundation – Cork City Council
This community arts project aims to address isolation and foster connection through two distinct, yet interwoven strands. Firstly, a Friendly Call Programme will engage those isolated since the pandemic in tailored artistic activities designed to spark creativity and provide meaningful social interaction. This part of the initiative hopes to offer solace and support as the challenges of re-emergence post-COVID are navigated. The second element of the project will bridge generations with collaborative creative projects between active retired groups and fifth-class students.
To support those delivering the programme, arts and grief work training will be provided to project leads, collaborators and community leaders with additional bereavement network training for project leads. Specific training will also be available to creative leads and facilitation teams on arts and grief, grief theory, and public models of bereavement.
The project outcomes will include artistic works produced by participants, the capturing of personal experiences and stories related to grief and loss, and case studies measuring the impact on participants’ understanding and processing of grief. Overall, the initiative aims to foster enhanced social interaction and connection for isolated individuals, facilitate creative expression, strengthen intergenerational relationships and community bonds, foster empathy and promote individual and collective wellbeing.
The initiative will see the participation of local schools, healthcare providers, and community organisations in the project activities, and is underpinned by a proven history of partnership, collaboration, and interagency work. It fosters collaboration between the Arts, Community, Healthy Ireland, Age Friendly, and Sláintecare teams within Cork City Council, and the Irish Hospice Foundation, HSE South West and Cork City Partnership.
It is envisaged that training will take place in 2024, after which time the trained artists and practitioners will deliver the facilitated creative workshops with those identified through the Friendly Call Programme, and the primary school students and retired groups. It is planned for these to be rolled out in early 2025.
