The Artists’ Care project is funded by Arts Council England and the Lightbulb Trust, and is a collaboration with three partner organisations who provide music and creative arts projects in challenging and complex settings – Good Vibrations, Irene Taylor Trust, and Hear Me Out, and two research organisations with specialisms in researching arts projects in such settings – the Royal Northern College of Music and the University of Wolverhampton, and seeks to answer the following question:

• How can supervision and care for those working in challenging and complex settings be structured, funded and embedded within organisational structures to ensure that artists and frontline staff are appropriately supported, maintaining the quality of their work and sustaining careers?

So far, we have conducted a rapid evidence assessment of the existing research in this area and have conducted detailed ethnographies of the three partner organisations to understand how they work. During this session we will share key findings and a set of core principles for supporting the well-being of artists.

More details: Artists Care Project - University of Wolverhampton

We require you to let us know 24 hours before if you cannot make a session.

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Since 2017, the Institute for Community Research and Development has been working to improve the lives and life chances of people in the region through research driven policy development, promoting social mobility, and by delivering effective community-based transformational projects. We use interdisciplinary expertise to affect positive change by working collaboratively with local communities and partnership networks.

Cross-cutting our themes, we offer innovative research and evaluation methods, and services, such as:

• The ICRD model of Community and Peer Research
• Research and evaluation that supports developments in policy and practice
• Robust qualitative and quantitative research methods

The Royal Northern College of Music provides a unique environment in which musical creativity and experimentation can flourish by continually forging new connections between teaching, research and performance.

Specifically, a dynamic culture of research is fostered that recognises, supports and disseminates relevant work by staff in all areas of its activities, including the creation, performance, production, history, theory, and psychology of music.

Good Vibrations is a charity that has existed since 2003 and currently employs five core staff members and works with 12 freelance artists - some doing regular work with Good Vibrations and others doing occasional week-long projects. Good Vibrations is best known for its work with Indonesian Gamelan music. While most of the work undertaken by Good Vibrations is undertaken in prisons and secure hospitals, some artists work only in community settings, with people convicted of offences, people with disabilities, and people with mental health needs.

The Irene Taylor Trust was established in 1995 in memory of Irene Taylor, whose family had invited their current director to set up a music charity in her memory. Irene Taylor was a woman who was interested in the interconnections of music and prison reform. The charity has six core staff members and works with 21 freelance artists. The Irene Taylor Trust runs projects to create original music with people in prison, people who have been released from prison, and young people in community settings who have experienced particular challenges.

Hear Me Out has existed since 2006, originally under the name Music in Detention and rebranded in 2021. The charity was started in memory of Helen Tetlow, a teacher, musician and activist, who was passionate about standing up for, and working with, refugees to support their empowerment. Hear Me Out has 10 core employees and 24 freelance artists on their books. Of these, 12-15 artists carry out regular work. Hear Me Out take music-making into detention centres, asylum accommodation (which it considers to be akin to detention centres), and community/public settings.