Wigan Borough has been selected as one of only six areas across England to join a national program aimed at transforming public wellbeing through arts and culture. The National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH) confirmed on Monday, 18th May, that the borough will receive funding to appoint a dedicated Creative Health Lead. This new role is supported by Arts Council England and The Baring Foundation, focusing on embedding creative activities into local clinical pathways and prevention strategies.
The initiative follows the borough’s ongoing efforts in integrating arts and culture into public wellness to combat isolation. As part of the Creative Health Leads Programme, Wigan joins a select group of regions including Bristol, Portsmouth, and parts of London in a mission to use creativity to improve population health and reduce long-standing inequalities.
Priorities for youth mental health and elderly isolation
The newly created Creative Health Lead will be tasked with establishing a formal Creative Health Network within the borough. This network will focus specifically on two urgent local priorities: supporting children and young people’s mental health and reducing social isolation among older residents.
This work builds upon ‘The Fire Within: The Forge,’ the council’s cultural strategy launched in late 2025. That strategy, which featured a performance by local chart-toppers The Lathums at Wigan Pier, set the stage for using cultural education as a tool for physical and mental wellbeing. The new national funding allows these local ambitions to scale up, connecting grassroots community music groups and volunteer creative spaces with formal NHS and social care partners.
Strengthening local health and social care partnerships
Councillor Keith Cunliffe, Wigan Council’s deputy leader and cabinet portfolio holder for adult social care and health, stated that the selection validates the borough’s existing ‘Progress with Unity’ missions. According to Cunliffe, the program will allow for stronger connections between the voluntary sector and the NHS, ensuring that creativity is not an afterthought but a core component of neighbourhood health.
Local projects already in operation range from community music groups for residents with long-term conditions to creative hubs designed for those feeling isolated. The goal is to move beyond one-off projects toward a system where reducing reliance on traditional health services becomes possible through sustainable community-led creative support.
Shifting clinical focus to community-based prevention
The program reflects a broader shift in how public health is managed in the region. Rachael Musgrave, Wigan’s director of public health, noted that health outcomes are shaped more by relationships and community environments than by hospital clinics alone.
Evidence gathered locally suggests that engagement with art and culture can improve confidence and help residents manage complex life changes. As one of the lead areas, Wigan will also contribute to national research, sharing data on how creative health interventions can effectively reduce the burden on local clinics. The NCCH intends to create up to 30 similar roles across England over the next two years, using Wigan’s progress as a benchmark for future regional health strategies.
Source: Wigan Council
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