Arts for the Blues began as a collaborative research project between artists, therapists, universities, NHS trusts and cultural institutions, based at Edge Hill University and the University of Salford. The team have developed a new evidence-based creative psychological therapy for depression in response to research and findings which point to a need for a helpful and alternative model of treatment for depression in the UK. Arts for the Blues was originally designed to help tackle depression in adults in deprived areas of North West England and began in a primary mental health care setting in Manchester. Since then, the project has grown to deliver pilot projects in Liverpool, Manchester and surrounding areas. It has also been adapted for use with children, NHS clinical staff, carers, and mothers and babies.
Our purpose
We are continuing to develop further research to explore how creative psychological therapies, and Arts for the Blues, can improve wellbeing. We are committed to working collaboratively with individuals and organisations to enhance current delivery of place-based arts initiatives.
We work closely with arts organisations, health and social care organisations, lived experience experts, frontline staff and local leads to encourage shared learning across sectors and regions.
How did the model develop?
The Arts for the Blues model was developed in response to research and findings which point to a need for a helpful and alternative model or treatment for depression in the UK and the need for a new evidence based creative psychological therapy for depression. The team conducted a thematic synthesis of the helpful factors in psychological therapies, from a range of disciplines across both talking and creative therapies. From this, the Arts for the Blues model was developed encompassing these helpful factors into the key ingredients at the heart of the model. The team began to deliver Arts for the Blues in workshops, collecting data to inform the development of the model into its current form as a twelve session creative group intervention with four therapeutic stages and eight key ingredients.
Delivering Arts for the Blues began in primary mental health care services for adults, also known as Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) and soon expanded to working with children and young people, carers, and frontline NHS staff. It is a model that can offer therapeutic and wellbeing support as well as being embedded within arts initiatives that support mental health and with opportunities for developing performances and exhibitions.
How is this model different?
Arts for the Blues is an evidence based creative psychological therapy that offers a model for the safe uses of the arts in healthcare, community, and artistic practice. The model is extensively used across these sectors.
It is flexible and versatile so that it may be adapted for use across different populations and for different purposes.
“The activities really brought perspective on feelings and emotions”
Arts for the Blues participant
Who it’s for
Adults
Work with adults began with developing the model for depression and anxiety, it then expanded to address mental health and wellbeing, and personal development.
Children & Young People
The Arts for the Blues has worked with children at risk of developing mental issues, and children with mental health concerns.
Carers
The model has been implemented with parents, caregivers of children with autism and parents and babies.
NHS staff
Arts for the Blues was developed to work with the wellbeing of NHS frontline staff during Covid-19 and has expanded to address doctors in training and mental health practitioners in the NHS.
Our team
Professor Vicky Karkou
Co-founder
Director for Research Centre for Arts and Wellbeing at Edge Hill University and Creative Arts Psychotherapist
Dr Joanna Omylinska-Thurston
Co-founder
Counseling Psychologist at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT, and Lecturer at University of Salford
Professor Scott Thurston
Co-founder
Poet, and Professor at University of Salford
Emma Perris
Research Assistant for Arts for the Blues, Lecturer at Edge Hill University and Dance Movement Psychotherapist.
Dr Shaun Liverpool
Chartered Psychologist and Lecturer in Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Rebecca Clark
Research Assistant for Arts for the Blues
Dr Tasneem Patel
Lecturer in Mental Health at Edge Hill University
Our partner organisations
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If you would like to work with the Arts for the Blues team on a new project or would like to implement the Arts for the Blues therapy model into your organisation, we would love to hear from you.