Introduction
Arts and health is a collaboration of arts and health perspectives and exper tise (The Arts Council, 2015). The aim of those involved in arts and health
is to create a united platform for maintaining and/or improving public
health, while appreciating the priorities and practices of respective disci plines. Arts and health is a broad and diverse field that can take place in a
range of healthcare, workplace, and community settings, with clinical and
non-clinical populations. The diversity of projects within the scope of arts
and health is potentially infinite and represents a stage for creative and ana lytical inquiry. University-led research conducted by artists and academics
is a key driving force in the growing recognition of the important role of the
arts in health and wellbeing. Each of the three case studies discussed in this
essay was led by an artist-scholar i.e. a traditional Irish dancer, a contempo rary dancer, and a musician, respectively.
The utilization of arts for the promotion of health and well-being has
been central throughout the history of the Irish World Academy of Music
and Dance. This role has been woven from various threads across multi ple disciplines, all of which have a shared interest in the care and welfare
of people and the communities in which they live. Like the growth of arts
and health practices internationally, the emergence of this field within the
Academy has been dynamic and multifaceted. Over the past twenty five
years, numerous programmes and individuals have contributed to this area,
which today is a central pillar upon which the Academy is established.
The historical development of arts and health practices at the Academy
is one that is complex. As a field that was most immediately associated with
the disciplines of music therapy and community music, it has since blos somed in Irish traditional music and dance, contemporary dance, chant and
ritual song, festive arts, arts practice, ethnochoreology, and ethnomusicol ogy. Indeed, any attempt to narrate such history across the past twenty five
years would risk a failure to acknowledge the numerous individuals who
have given so generously of their time and talents in highlighting the role of
arts to promote health and well-being in society. In this essay, the authors
reflect upon the role of arts and health at an important moment in time
within the Academy when the need for interdisciplinary discussion about
this area emerged. Although, up until this point in time, arts and health
energies were individually thriving within the disciplinary confines of a
number of Academy programmes, collective discussion was limited. With
a view to somewhat streamlining these various arts and health energies, in
April 2015 faculty from music therapy, Irish traditional dance, and contem porary dance, organised a Tower Series Seminar1 to consider the potential
and possibilities for arts in health. The following three case studies pre sented at this seminar, and described below, represent a crucial point in the
Academy’s history, when three disciplines collectively reflected upon and
celebrated their contributions to arts and health in Ireland. Each of these
case studies were collectively written to offer a flavour of the diverse range of arts and health methodologies utilised in the Academy. They also highlight
various reflections on artistic practice and the value that is placed upon
them among the individuals and groups with whom we work.
The first case study is focused on set dancing and is an example of col laboration between arts practitioners, academics, health care profession als, and the community. The second relates to integrated dance, an artistic
practice that aims to promote health and is clearly lead by the service user.
Finally, the third music therapy case is an example of a practice that is both
clinical and artistic while also highlighting how artistic practices can be
used to engage service user voices in research.
History
Publication
The Artist and Academia, Phelan, Helen & Walsh, Graham F.;Essay 6
Publisher
Taylor and Francis Group
Note
peer-reviewed
The full text of this article will not be available in ULIR until the embargo expires on the 30/09/2022
Rights
This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter whose final and definitive form, the Version of Record, has been published in the Artist and Academia 2021 copyright Taylor & Francis, available online at:https://www.routledge.com/The-Artist-and-Academia/Phelan-Welch/p/book/9781138359116