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Arts, cultural engagement and health inequalities : critical reflections on the UK Creative Health Review (2023)

Clift, Stephen ; McCrary, Matt ; Kaasgaard, Mette ; Kreutz, Gunter ; Musgrave, George ; Danso, Andrew ; Silverstein-Bamford, Joshua ; Pelowski, Matthew ; Davies, Christina and Schurig, Eva , et al. (2026) In Cultural Trends
Abstract

The Creative Health Review (CHR) published in 2023 is an advocacy document by the UK National Centre for Creative Health and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing. The CHR defines creative health activities as visual and performing arts, crafts, film, literature, cooking, gardening, and visits to cultural centres and heritage sites and claims that active promotion of such activities in socially disadvantaged communities and among marginalised groups can mitigate health inequalities. The report relies on case studies and testimonies of lived experiences as primary sources of evidence. Our critical reflections on methods and content show that the CHR is insufficient to substantiate its claims. Instead, it fails... (More)

The Creative Health Review (CHR) published in 2023 is an advocacy document by the UK National Centre for Creative Health and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing. The CHR defines creative health activities as visual and performing arts, crafts, film, literature, cooking, gardening, and visits to cultural centres and heritage sites and claims that active promotion of such activities in socially disadvantaged communities and among marginalised groups can mitigate health inequalities. The report relies on case studies and testimonies of lived experiences as primary sources of evidence. Our critical reflections on methods and content show that the CHR is insufficient to substantiate its claims. Instead, it fails to acknowledge the need to adhere to established frameworks of critical appraisal and evidence synthesis. In conclusion, the CHR does not provide a foundation for evidence-based public health policies and practice to address health inequalities through culture and the arts.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
Arts, critical appraisal, culture, health, inequalities, wellbeing
in
Cultural Trends
publisher
Routledge
external identifiers
  • scopus:105041035362
ISSN
0954-8963
DOI
10.1080/09548963.2026.2676056
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ed531ce7-7ce7-4cd9-83f0-099900a86748
date added to LUP
2026-09-18 14:11:06
date last changed
2026-09-18 14:11:40
@article{ed531ce7-7ce7-4cd9-83f0-099900a86748,
  abstract     = {{<p>The Creative Health Review (CHR) published in 2023 is an advocacy document by the UK National Centre for Creative Health and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing. The CHR defines creative health activities as visual and performing arts, crafts, film, literature, cooking, gardening, and visits to cultural centres and heritage sites and claims that active promotion of such activities in socially disadvantaged communities and among marginalised groups can mitigate health inequalities. The report relies on case studies and testimonies of lived experiences as primary sources of evidence. Our critical reflections on methods and content show that the CHR is insufficient to substantiate its claims. Instead, it fails to acknowledge the need to adhere to established frameworks of critical appraisal and evidence synthesis. In conclusion, the CHR does not provide a foundation for evidence-based public health policies and practice to address health inequalities through culture and the arts.</p>}},
  author       = {{Clift, Stephen and McCrary, Matt and Kaasgaard, Mette and Kreutz, Gunter and Musgrave, George and Danso, Andrew and Silverstein-Bamford, Joshua and Pelowski, Matthew and Davies, Christina and Schurig, Eva and Köehler, Friederike and Bungay, Hilary and Holt, Nicola and Jensen, Anita and Kahlil, Radwa and Phillips, Kate and Pickard, Angela and Thun-Hohenstein, Leonhard and Comeau, Gilles and Martin, Tenley and Grebosz-Haring, Katarzyna}},
  issn         = {{0954-8963}},
  keywords     = {{Arts; critical appraisal; culture; health; inequalities; wellbeing}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  series       = {{Cultural Trends}},
  title        = {{Arts, cultural engagement and health inequalities : critical reflections on the UK Creative Health Review (2023)}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09548963.2026.2676056}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/09548963.2026.2676056}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}