Tullie  House    Tullie  House  has  been  working  in  partnership  with  health  care  organisations  to  deliver  an  Arts  in  Health  programme  with  elderly  groups  in  the  Carlisle  district.    The  idea  that  engagement  with  the  arts  can  bring  about  general  improvements  to  health  and  wellbeing  is  not  new  one  at  Tullie  House.    This  programme  builds  upon  a  long  established  practice  of  working  with  care  homes  in  the  area.    Tullie  House  already  actively  engages  with  elderly  groups  by  providing  reminiscence  sessions  using  themed  boxes.      Older  members  of  the  community  have  also  used  collections  and  exhibitions  at  Tullie  House,  to  inspire  them  to  produce  their  own  artworks  with  the  help  of  an  artist  and  the  support  from  Tullie  House  volunteers.      The  Arts  in  Health  Programme  spanned  18  months  and  worked  across  three  themed  areas  which  were  poetry,  music  and  movement,  and  art  and  craft.    The  Programme  targeted  elderly  people,  including  those  with  dementia,  their  carers  and  health  care  practitioners.    Following  a  taster  day  at  the  Museum,  for  health  care  practitioners,  there  was  a  series  of  on-­‐site  projects  at  care  homes  with  mentoring  opportunities  for  carers.    The  Museum’s  collections  and  exhibitions  were  used  to  support  the  programme.    For  Susan  Child,  Community  Outreach  Officer,  it  was  important  to  ensure  a  lasting  legacy  to  the  activities  developed  after  funding  for  the  programme  had  finished.    To  this  end  a  significant  element  of  the  programme  has  been  the  training  provision  for  health  professionals  and  Tullie  House  staff  and  volunteers  in  arts  and  health  practice,  and  how  to  replicate  themed  activities.    Getting  commitment  from  management  in  the  care  centres  to  give  carers  time  to  participate  and  develop  new  skills  was  also  vital.    All  care  settings  were  provided  with  a  starter  pack  of  resources  for  each  of  the  three  themes.    As  Child  notes,  “this  would  give  carers  the  confidence  to  start  straight  away”.    Watch  this  space  for  evaluation  of  the  project.    Tullie  House  is  currently  engaging  with  carers  who  have  taken  part  in  the  training  to  gather  feedback  on  what  it  has  been  like  to  put  their  learning  into  practice.      A  series  of  Sharing  and  Learning  Days  will  explore  what  did  and  didn’t  work.    Throughout  the  programme  video  evaluation  has  captured  the  experiences  and  responses  of  the  elderly  groups  whilst  the  art  practitioners  have  kept  reflective  diaries.    Feedback  was  also  obtained  from  the  carers  involved  in  the  projects.    Tullie  House  Museum  and  Art  Gallery  is  one  of  the  six  participating  museum  and  galleries  in  Who  Cares?  Health,  wellbeing  and  museums  a  programme  funded  by  Renaissance  North  West.    The  programme  explores  health  and  wellbeing  through  museum  collections  and  gallery  spaces.          Further  Information:  Susan  Child,  Community  Outreach  Officer,  susanch@carlisle.gov.uk    Tel:  01228  618763  

 To  find  out  more  about  Who  Cares?    Contact  Myna  Trustram,  Research  Manager,  Renaissance  North  West,  m.trustram@manchester.gov.uk