The Culture Trainers: Findings from an Evaluation of a Pilot Programme in Cultural Attendance and Public Mental Health

Dr Alastair RoyPsychosocial Research UnitUniversity of Central Lancashire

Participating cultural organisations

Manchester Art Gallery

Royal Exchange Theatre

Manchester Velodrome

Band on the Wall

Manchester Central Library

People’s History Museum

Three questions

How are we conducting this evaluation?

What we have found so far?

What might be required for this model to work in the long term?

‘It broadens the base of people who we can work with; people who may not have the confidence to come in on their own.’

(Venue lead)

‘No, I’d not been to any of them before, I’m not big on culture really.’

(Health Trainer)

Have you ever visited any of the venues in your own

time before the programme started?

5/13 Health Trainers said that they had been to at least 1 venue.

3/5 had only been to 1/6 venues.

Hence only 2/13 had ever been to more than 1 of the 6 venues before the beginning of this programme.

Have you visited any of the venues outside of work

since the programme had begun?

10 Health Trainers said that they had.

5/8 Health Trainers who had never attended any of the venues prior to the programme beginning had subsequently attended at least one of the venues in their own time.

2008/09 DCMS survey 2010

A high-quality arts experience is likely to result in increased engagement, and/or

That increased engagement with the arts makes a high-quality experience more likely.

Summary

Extended pilot

Cultural attendance takes time to develop as a habit

Working cross sectors is complex

Realising the cultural capital of the Health Trainers

Thanks for listening:

anroy@uclan.ac.uk