Events

Critical Mass International Colloquium on community-based arts

Leading practitioners and researchers from the arts and health world in Australia, South Africa, USA, Mexico and Ireland will soon be visiting Durham for a ‘Critical Mass’ Research Colloquium organised by the Centre for Medical Humanities towards the end of June.  The purpose of the colloquium is to enable a sustained conversation to take place about how those carrying out the highest quality work in this field might be able to pool expertise and plan research collaborations or a supportive network.  An open conference of arts and health practitioners just does not produce the focus required to take community-based arts in health to the next level of action research and into the development of resources and workforce. By means of guided conversation rather than presentations, the aims of this colloquium are:

·         to reflect on the nature of practice in community-based arts in health,

·         to determine the international research agenda that is or should be informing the practice,

·         to pursue practical research collaborations to test questions that are arising in the CMH medical  humanities research programme, and 

·         to consider the establishment of an International Research and Practice Network for Arts in Health

In order to make the most of this international gathering, a series of public fringe events has been set up to create opportunities for networking and exchange between arts and health practitioners in the Northern region and their counterparts around the world.  Dialogue promises to be rich and exciting and the opportunities for international exchange and partnering could be worth exploring. The Centre for Medical Humanities has arranged an international arts in health forum on Monday 27 June, 10.00 to 3.30 at The Customs House, South Shields. We are inviting people engaged with arts in health work in the North of England and Yorkshire, along with participants in some of our current research and learning programmes. The focus of the day will be on network development in arts in health – both local and international.  A similar gathering is planned at Manchester Metropolitan University on 30th June.

Contact polly.degiorgi@durham.ac.uk for more information about this event.

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