{"id":12,"date":"2026-03-31T10:29:57","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T09:29:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/research-matters\/?page_id=12"},"modified":"2026-08-11T14:40:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T13:40:07","slug":"impact-stories","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/research\/impact-stories\/","title":{"rendered":"Impact Stories"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: true, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-constrained wp-block-accordion-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-1&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-1\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">How the Arts can boost your mood: Improving mental health and wellbeing through arts-based interventions <\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><\/button><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-1\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Produced by<\/strong> <strong>Professor Vicky Karkou, Director of the Research Centre for Arts and Wellbeing<\/strong>, <strong>Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine, Edge Hill University <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>One in five people in the UK are faced with mental health problems. <br>With similarly high rates internationally, the World Health Organization (WHO) have declared an &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thelancet.com\/journals\/lanpub\/article\/PIIS2468-2667(25)00261-0\/fulltext\">urgent global public health crisis<\/a>&#8220;<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:42px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Research Centre for Arts and Wellbeing (RCAW) team are leading efforts to deepen our understanding of how the arts can help our mental health. Their work is having a direct impact on mental health provision through two important projects: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:18px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Arts for the Blues<\/strong>: A group therapy programme that uses the arts to help children, adults and professionals who need psychological support.&nbsp;The model, which has had a positive impact on people\u2019s mental health,&nbsp;is developed in collaboration with the University of Salford with funding of over \u00a32m from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ukri.org\/councils\/ahrc\/\">AHRC<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ukri.org\/councils\/esrc\/\">ESRC<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nihr.ac.uk\/\">NIHR<\/a>, and the EU.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Arts4Us<\/strong> is creating a user-friendly digital directory of the best arts activities and arts therapies support for young people and their families living in some of the most deprived areas in the UK.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" fetchpriority=\"low\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/438\/2026\/04\/25_244-Vicky-Karkou-22-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-50 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/438\/2026\/04\/25_244-Vicky-Karkou-22-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/438\/2026\/04\/25_244-Vicky-Karkou-22-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/438\/2026\/04\/25_244-Vicky-Karkou-22-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/438\/2026\/04\/25_244-Vicky-Karkou-22-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.edgehill.ac.uk\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/438\/2026\/04\/25_244-Vicky-Karkou-22-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With \u00a32.5m investment from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ukri.org\/what-we-do\/browse-our-areas-of-investment-and-support\/mobilising-community-assets-to-tackle-health-inequalities\/\">UKRI<\/a>, the RCAW team is collaborating with a range of academic institutions and over 50 partners including health services, community organisations, schools, and local authorities to tackle health inequalities, enabling access to arts activities for as many young people and their families as possible wherever they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Professor Karkou\u2019s team are making a huge difference to the wellbeing of children, young people, and adults with mental health struggles. Both projects have also gathered evidence that show how effective and cost efficient arts activities and arts therapies are. The argument this has made continues to <strong>influence national policymaking.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Examples of Impact <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Examples of Impact described in Professor Karkou\u2019s impact story include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:12px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Routine delivery of the <strong>Arts for the Blues<\/strong> model in three NHS Trusts in Greater Manchester, with implementation in Mersey Care and Alder Hey Trusts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Arts for the Blues<\/strong> has reached 200 students from 10 schools across the North West, with more than 200 students from 5 secondary schools engaged through the charity Curious Minds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Training offered in the Baltic countries, New York, and Dubai kick starting the delivery of Arts for the Blues internationally.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Arts4Us has amplified the voice of over 120 participants including young people and their families.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Evidence to the All-Party Parliamentary Groups on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Tjzqob_ENK4\">Creative Health<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/ncch.org.uk\/news\/createch-and-digital-creative-health\">Creative Technologies<\/a> on the value of arts activities and arts therapies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Commissioned research by the Arts Council of Wales that found \u00a311 return on investment for every \u00a31 invested in the arts, which in turn influenced the Welsh Government\u2019s decision to <a href=\"https:\/\/arts.wales\/about-us\/research\/assessing-economic-impact-arts-on-health-and-healthcare-services-wales\">increase arts funding by 5%.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:44px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>\u201cOur research has transformed the lives of over 650 vulnerable children and young people, and over 300 adults with mental health problems, reducing depression anxiety, heart rate and blood pressure. We have also seen improvements to sleep quality, wellbeing and quality of life. And I\u2019m pleased to say this positive impact lasts for up to six months after sessions finish, a clear indication that the arts, when delivered appropriately, can have lasting effects.\u201d<\/p><cite>Professor VIcky Karkou<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:47px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Research Centre for Arts and Wellbeing <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check out the video below for an insight into the work of the Research Centre for Arts and Wellbeing <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Research Centre for Arts and Wellbeing\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GqIdi5egg9c?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2448,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-12","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - 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