The Art of Good Health program aims to generate new ideas that promote health and wellbeing at the local level through the arts. It is designed to enable local councils to bring together arts, cultural and creative sectors with health and community agencies to tackle health promotion challenges.
This program is offered in two stages:
- Stage 1 focuses on developing strong partnerships, co-design and consultation with community, and trailing solutions to local health and wellbeing challenges.
- Stage 2 will see a smaller number of projects receive a 2-year grant to deliver the project in their respective communities.
Five projects have been selected to further develop their initial ideas in stage 1 of the Art of Good Health program:
Shepparton Culture Kitchen – Greater Shepparton City Council, Multicultural Arts Victoria and Primary Care Connect
A creative team of local culturally diverse artists will co-design a range of interactive food-sourcing, cooking, and eating experiences and public events, centred on the stories, knowledge and cultures of local diverse communities in addition to online resources featuring healthy eating messages that resonate with the diverse communities of the area.
Queer My Head – Macedon Ranges Shire Council, The Dax Centre and Cobaw Community Health
The project will explore the ability of arts programs to improve inclusion, reduce isolation and improve awareness of and access to appropriate social supports for young people living in rural communities who identify as LGBTIQ. Project participants will also co-design new resources for local youth organisations.
Cultural Pharmacy Testing Project - Mount Alexander Shire Council, Healthy Heart of Victoria, and local artists
Two test sites will be established with each of the pharmacies providing different sensory environments from which cultural tonics will be dispensed. This project is a first step in creating a workable arts and place-based prescribing model that can be allied to many mainstream regional health services.
Circus Partnership for Health Program - City of Darebin, Westside Circus and Melbourne Polytechnic
Focusing on students in Melbourne Polytechnic’s Koori VCAL program this initiative will design a culturally appropriate circus skills program which encourages regular physical activity, improves mental wellbeing and healthy eating while working within an Aboriginal model of health which includes connection to culture as a foundation for good health.
Art and Sole - Yarra Ranges Council, Inspiro Community Health, and local artists
Using a co-design approach, local artists, multiple council departments, community services and local businesses will be involved in developing approaches that can increase walking and decrease the number of car trips by using behavioural nudges and creative interventions.
