WELCOME TO THE
REPOSITORY FOR ARTS AND HEALTH RESOURCES













What can you find here?
This site is for anyone interested in the field of arts, health and wellbeing, but particularly academics and researchers; policy-makers in central and local government; health and social care managers, and creative arts professionals engaged directly in using their artistic skills in healthcare and community settings to support health and wellbeing.
The Repository for Arts and Heath Resources houses a range of ‘grey literature’ and other resources not easily found on the main websites dedicated to covering arts for health practice as it has grown and diversified. At the heart of the Repository is an online, searchable database, housing over seven hundred documents that chart the development of the Arts and Health movement in the UK and internationally, from 1996 onwards. Most are directly available as free downloads and are accompanied by the relevant citations.
Particularly, it provides a chronological overview of the significant publications not captured by major research databases, that have documented and guided the development of the Arts and Health field in the UK over the last twenty years. It does not include peer reviewed papers as these are included in a range of other databases and repositories.
It also has links to the key research centres and departments pivotal to the development and establishment of robust evaluation and research. These centres and departments have been concerned with building theoretical models and robust secure evidence to explain and document the benefits that the arts can bring to health and wellbeing.
Testimonials
“Arts & Health South West is delighted to endorse the Repository for Arts and Health Resources. It is an invaluable resource for the sector, making a wide range of grey literature available to practitioners working in the field, helping to build knowledge and understanding about good practice. It is organised in a way that is clearly accessible and easily navigated, enabling us to understand the development of the field over time.”
Alex Coulter, Director of Arts & Health South West
Director 2021 – National Centre for Creative Health
“The Arts and Health Repository, which was developed in partnership with the RSPH Special Interest Group for Arts Health and Wellbeing , is an unique and invaluable resource for policy makers, researchers, public health professionals and arts organisations. For the first time it brings together a comprehensive collection of Arts and Health resources in the UK from the 1980’s to the present day. The repository helps to consolidate the major gains in arts and health knowledge, makes them immediately available to a wide range of professionals and supports the case for embedding the arts in all health and wellbeing strategies.”
Shirley Cramer CBE , Chief Executive (2013-2020) ,

THE REPOSITORY
The Repository for Arts and Heath Resources is supported by Canterbury Christ Church University, in Kent, UK. With funding from Oak Foundation, the Repository is maintained by Angus McLewin Associates for the Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health, based within the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Social Care, which is dedicated to delivering programmes of learning which support and enrich the health and wellbeing of students, practitioners and communities. The Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health was founded in 2005, and named in memory of Sidney De Haan, founder of the Saga group of companies. The centre is is committed to researching the potential value of music, and other participative arts activities, in the promotion of wellbeing and health of individuals and communities.
SUBMISSION FORMS
We welcome your contributions to the Repository to help consolidate it as the 'Go To' place for all key Grey Literature on the growth and development of the Arts and Health fields both here in the UK and internationally. So if you have any key documents you think should be added then please use the online Submission Form here and we look forward to hearing from you.
FEEDBACK & SUGGESTIONS
We also welcome feedback on your use of the Repository as well as suggestions for its development and improvement.