Arts Care and Cathedral Eye Clinic Announce Groundbreaking Corporate Partnership to Enhance Staff Wellbeing and Community Engagement

This unique collaboration, founded on a shared commitment to enriching lives, has already begun making a positive impact, with a series of art intervention staff well-being workshops receiving high praise from Cathedral Eye Clinic staff.

In the workplace, stress can be a significant challenge. Recognising the impact of stress on individuals, Arts Care's staff well-being art interventions workshops, aim to alleviate stress and contribute to the overall mental health of participants in every sector across Northern Ireland. In response to this, Arts Care created the ‘For You’ social enterprise initiative, which aims to get art-focussed workshops into the workplace, and the wider community.

Arts Care's Business Development and Communications Manager, Gary Gates, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership: "This is our first official corporate partnership, so we are pretty excited about that. Arts Cares’ vision is that everyone throughout Northern Ireland should have an opportunity to experience the positive health and wellbeing effects of engagement with creative arts.

The art intervention staff well-being workshops, delivered by Arts Care, are just the beginning of a collaboration. Planned throughout the year, these art interventions aim to support the mental and emotional well-being of Cathedral Eye Clinic staff, fostering a positive and creative working environment. This is a testament to the Cathedral Eye Clinic’s appreciation for just how important art can be to help facilitate positive wellbeing within the workplace."

Gary continues "Unfortunately, workplace stress is something many of us occasionally must face. Recent Northern Ireland-focussed research, found that over 70% of individuals in the public sector, suffer from personal and work-related burnout. That is higher than the UK average. And the private sector also has its challenges. There is good news though. Numerous studies emphasise that engaging in artistic activities such as drama, dance, movement, visual art, and singing leads to a substantial reduction in stress. And so, it’s fantastic our initial workshops with the Cathedral Eye clinic have been well-received, and we look forward to building on this success throughout the year."

One of the highlights of this partnership is a significant fundraising event scheduled for November 2024. The event will feature an art auction showcasing various items, alongside a unique opportunity for Cathedral Eye Clinic and Arts Care staff, along with a variety of other people and organisations staff to auction their skills and time. The goal for the night is to raise £5,000. The proceeds from this event will contribute to Arts Care's primary mission aim; to enable people in health and social care, community, corporate and other settings to benefit from the recuperative, healing, and positive mental health effects of engagement with the creative arts.

Joyce Shaw, Clinical Services Director at Cathedral Eye Clinic, shared her excitement about the upcoming event: "Our collaboration with Arts Care is about more than healthcare; it's about enriching the lives of our staff. The fundraising event in November is a testament to our joint commitment to making a positive impact through the arts. Watch this space.”

Arts Care is a pioneering organisation dedicated to harnessing the transformative power of art. Through innovative programmes and partnerships, Arts Care integrates the arts into healthcare, corporate, and community settings, promoting wellness and enhancing the overall quality of life for individuals and communities. By integrating the arts into diverse settings, Arts Care aim to create a brighter and healthier future for all.