‘Arts plan for every hospital’ recommends WA report

The landmark report recommends the development of a state-wide strategy to formalise and strengthen the role of the arts in health and healing.
[This is archived content and may not display in the originally intended format.]

Hospital Orchestra Project – a collaboration between WASO and the school of Special Education Needs: Medical and Mental Health at Princess Margaret Hospital. Photo Credit – Nik Babic, permission from WASO.

A new report examining the role of the arts in the health sector in Western Australia has found that while 75% of hospitals in the state deliver arts and health activity, such activity is uncoordinated and often goes unevaluated, with only 28% of respondents surveyed saying they evaluated arts and health projects.

Unlock Padlock Icon

Unlock this content?

Access this content and more

Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts