(Reference Information – The content contained on this page is from the original AHW website and has been restored as a reference for those who need it)

The All Party Parliamentary Group for Arts, Health and Wellbeing was launched in January 2014. Peers and MPs with a shared interest in the field of arts and health come together for regular events to hear about and discuss the latest developments relevant to current policy priorities.

The first Officers of the APPG were:

Co-Chair: Rt Hon Paul Burstow MP (Liberal Democrats)
Co-Chair: Rt Hon Lord Howarth of Newport CBE (Labour)
Co-Chair: Sarah Newton MP (Conservative)
Vice-Chair: Dr Sarah Wollaston MP (Conservative)
Vice-Chair: Rt Hon Frank Dobson MP

Following the General Election in May 2015 the APPG on Arts, Health and Wellbeing was re-convened and the first AGM in the new parliament was on June 22nd 2015. The following Officers were elected:

Chair and Registered Contact: Jason McCartney MP (Conservative)
Co-Chair: Rt Hon. Lord Howarth of Newport (Labour)
Vice-Chair: Rt Hon. Fiona Mactaggart MP (Labour)
Treasurer: Maggie Throup MP (Conservative)

At the AGM on 11th July 2016 the following Officers were elected:

Chair and Registered Contact: Jason McCartney MP (Conservative)
Co-Chair: Rt Hon. Lord Howarth of Newport (Labour)
Vice-Chair: Rt Hon. Fiona Mactaggart MP (Labour)
Treasurer: Baroness Andrews OBE (Labour)

Following the General Election in June 2017 the APPG on Arts, Health and Wellbeing was re-convened and the first AGM in the new parliament was on 28th June 2017. The following Officers were elected:

Chair and Registered Contact: Rt Hon. Ed Vaizey MP (Conservative)
Co-Chair: Rt Hon. Lord Howarth of Newport (Labour)
Vice-Chair: Chris Ruane MP (Labour)
Treasurer: Baroness Andrews OBE (Labour)

Annual reports, including financial statements, and minutes from the 2015 and 2016 AGMs can be downloaded below.

Since its inception the APPG on Arts, Health and Wellbeing has hosted a number of events and you can find out more information about each of them here.

Read the All Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing Submission to the DCMS white paper consultation here.

In November 2015 the APPG launched a two year Arts, Health and Wellbeing Inquiry in collaboration with King’s College London and in partnership with Guy’s and St Thomas’s Charity and the Royal Society for Public Health Special Interest Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing. The Inquiry was funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Wellcome. You can download the Inquiry document here. A Call for Practice Examples to inform the Inquiry ended on 19th August 2016. You can find out more about the Call here. The Inquiry Report, Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing, was launched in Parliament on 19th July 2017 and at Manchester Metropolitan University on 21st July and is available here: https://www.artshealthandwellbeing.org.uk/appg/inquiry

On the 11th October 2017 Ed Vaizey MP led a Westminster Hall debate on The Arts: Health Effects, in which 12 MPs spoke. You can read the debate on Hansard here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2017-10-11/debates/8119716E-5D7C-4FC8-870B-7F1C2B7D4F09/TheArtsHealthEffects

The APPG is disseminating the findings of the Creative Health report at a series of events and conferences. There is a programme of further meetings in parliament to discuss the recommendations. More information about the Creative Health Next Steps can be found here.

The APPG held its AGM on 16th July 2018. You can download the minutes from the AGM here, the Income & Expenditure Statement here and All-Party Parliamentary Group  on Arts, Health and Wellbeing, Annual Report 2017–18 here.

The secretariat for the APPG is provided by the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance. Alex Coulter, Director of Arts & Health South West, manages the APPG secretariat. If you would like further information please contact the APPG appgahw2@gmail.com. For details about how we handle your data please see the Privacy statement here.

This is not an official website of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It hasn’t been approved by either House or its committees. All-Party Parliamentary Groups are informal groups of Members of both Houses with a common interest in particular issues. The views expressed on this webpage are those of the group.