West Yorkshire Creative Health Network

Be part of something bigger

Together, we're creating the most comprehensive understanding of Creative Health across West Yorkshire, helping us identify strengths, gaps, opportunities and partnerships that no single organisation could see alone.

The West Yorkshire Creative Health System (WYCHS) is bringing together organisations, practitioners, researchers, communities and health partners to create the infrastructure that will help Creative Health flourish across our region.

There are lots of ways to get involved.

Whether you join the Creative Health Network to stay informed, create an Organisation Profile, share a Creative Health Opportunity or contribute a Featured Story, every contribution helps strengthen the West Yorkshire Creative Health System.

Your contribution matters

Whether you're a creative practitioner, community organisation, cultural venue, NHS professional, researcher, commissioner, volunteer or simply someone with an interest in Creative Health, your contribution matters.

Every organisation profile, opportunity and featured story adds another piece to the picture.

Together, we're creating a shared resource that celebrates what already exists, reveals opportunities for collaboration, and highlight the significant contributions arts, culture and creativity play in keeping people healthy and happy, building stronger communities and thriving places

Why join the Creative Health Network

The Creative Health Network is free to join. And as a member you can support the development of the Creative Health System by actively contributing to, and shaping, the project workstreams that make up the System.

1. Evidence Mapping – to inform evaluation, commissioning and strategic development.
2. Creative Health Strategy – creating a strategy and advocacy framework for Creative Health across West Yorkshire.
3. Raising Visibility and Awareness – promoting Creative Health benefits to communities, commissioners and policymakers.
4. Workforce Development – equipping creative practitioners, health professionals and commissioners with the skills and understanding to deliver sustainable, high-quality Creative Health interventions.
5. Commissioning and Funding – embedding Creative Health in commissioning cycles and other funding streams to ensure long-term financial sustainability of the system.

Through this collaborative approach we will ensure that our programme outputs are reflective of the people in our region and have the experiences of both people with lived experience and delivery expertise at the forefront. 

What’s in it for you?

We recognise that for some individuals and groups there are barriers around sustained contribution to networks and therefore propose different tiers of involvement.

Involvement level	Contributions	Why collaborate?
Supporter	Newsletter subscriber Project updates and opportunities	Newsletter and updates Opportunities for collaboration
Collaborator	As above + Engaged in developing programme outputs e.g. attending events, strategy co-creation, contributing to mapping, opportunity profiles and case studies	As above + Peet support Networking Influence Visibility Training/CPD Connection and advocacy
Advocate	As above + Attending regional meetings/local creative health meetings Strategic influence and direction to regional and local initiatives	As above + Strategic networking

The WYCHS is a cross-sector collaborative system made by everyone.

• Be part of a region wide system, not isolated delivery
• Influence strategy, evidence and future funding models
• Strengthen connections between culture, health and communities
• Learn and shape practice alongside others

By joining our network, you will be connected to others across West Yorkshire working at the intersection of arts, culture and creativity to support wellbeing.  We will work with the network to develop the membership offer as the programme evolves.