UK Arts & Health: The Time is Now
At the Houses of Parliament, policymakers, clinicians, researchers, and artists gathered to ask how the UK - already a world leader in arts and health - can build that strength into the centre of health policy.
Date
20 April 2026
Location
Porticullis House, UK Parliament, London, England, United Kingdom
Convened by:
Under the auspices of:
Co-Chairs
Dr Simon Opher MP
MP for Stroud; Chair of the APPG on Creative Health
John Slinger MP
MP for Rugby
Alexandra Coulter
Director, National Centre for Creative Health
Arts Engagement as a Core Health and Economic Asset
- Arts engagement delivers substantial wellbeing value, estimated at £15 billion annually in the UK.
- Arts and health interventions generate over £8bn annually in wellbeing value and delivering a social return on investment (SROI) of up to £8.56 per £1 spent.
- Arts programs for NHS staff can save up to £3.5m a year by reducing staff sickness and turnover, according to studies in Wales.
- Regular participation is associated with around a 50% reduction in risk of chronic pain.
The UK Arts and Health - The Time is Now roundtable brought together a cross-sector group of policymakers, healthcare leaders, researchers, clinicians, cultural organisations, and artists to explore the role of the arts in advancing health and well-being across the United Kingdom. Against this backdrop, the United Kingdom has established itself as a global leader in arts and health. The discussion highlighted the need to build on this strong foundation through greater coordination and long-term strategic planning.
Discussion drew on a growing body of evidence, including Daisy Fancourt's book Art Cure, which makes the case that regular arts engagement has measurable health benefits: reduced systemic inflammation, improved cardiovascular health, lower risk of depression, and slower biological ageing.
The group identified coordination as a key challenge. Despite strong existing work across the sector, arts and health remains fragmented at a policy level. Participants called for greater cross-sector collaboration and longer-term funding commitments to build on what the UK has already established in this area.
“The first mistake I made when I became a surgeon was thinking it was all about mathematics. Surgery taught me that it is, in fact, about creativity. Creativity is an inherent sense in all of us, and when you embrace it, you realise the impact you can have on patients and the lives around you. It helps us see the world through different eyes—and over the past decade, I have come to embrace the arts as a core component of delivering good clinical care.”
Dr. Zubir Ahmed, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care
The event was followed by a reception at the Royal Society of the Arts, with a book signing by Daisy Fancourt for her new book, Art Cure.
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