On 18 May, the National Theatre became a space for honest conversation, creative reflection and collective imagination as Advocates for Representation in Creative Health (ARCH) curated the afternoon programme for Creativity and Wellbeing Week 2026.
Bringing together artists, creative health practitioners, academics, commissioners, facilitators and sector leaders, the sold-out event explored this year’s festival theme, Critical Hope. At a time of increasing pressure across health, arts and community sectors, the afternoon invited participants to ask not simply how creativity supports wellbeing, but how we build a creative health sector that is equitable, sustainable and courageous enough to transform systems rather than simply helping people survive within them.
The programme featured an in-conversation between Dr Tola Dabiri and Patrick Vernon OBE, a panel discussion chaired by Jemilea Wisdom-Baako with Tony Cealy, Maz Koshika-Morris and Francis Augusto, followed by a creative provocation led by Selene Heath. Through conversation, creative making and shared reflection, participants explored questions of power, representation, accountability and belonging—recognising that some of the most valuable learning happens not only on stage, but around the table.
As panellist Maz Koshika-Morris reflected:
“I loved how the event intentionally created space for attendees not only to listen to the panellists and participate in creative activities, but to learn from one another. Through dialogue, people were able to develop ideas and strategies for the future. It also created an opportunity for genuine coalition-building across the sector and community, which feels invaluable at a time when so much is uncertain and scarce.”
For ARCH, this was more than a public event. It was our second public programme of the year and an opportunity to introduce ARCH as a strategic collective committed to advancing representation, challenging inequity and strengthening leadership across the creative health sector.
Many of the leaders within ARCH have spent decades working towards equity and anti-racism. They have experienced progress, setbacks and the familiar cycle of conversations that promise change but too often fail to shift systems. Rather than ignoring that reality, the afternoon acknowledged it—and asked what it means to continue showing up with courage, purpose and hope.
ARCH member Cedric Whilby captured that feeling beautifully:
“There’s a strange comfort in the déjà vu of these conversations—the same topics, new faces, the familiar rhythm of reinvention.
As a participant, you learn to be the feast, not just the guest. Still, there’s value in showing up: for the connections that crackle despite the time constraints, and for the quiet hope that this time, the echo might turn into a song.”
The conversations throughout the afternoon reinforced that while the challenges facing the sector are significant, so too is the collective determination to respond. Participants spoke about the need for stronger collaboration, sustained investment, affordable community spaces, creative clinical supervision, long-term funding, leadership and clearer opportunities for practitioners to grow and thrive.
The evaluation tree created at the end of the session captured the collective voice of the room. Alongside reflections on the challenges ahead, participants spoke of renewed connection, creativity and possibility:
“There is no end to our creativity.”
“Future full of collaboration and connections—we all want it, we all need it.”
“Being in a space with change-makers who are full of hope.”
“Feeling like a part of something real.”
Perhaps the strongest message to emerge was that critical hope is not passive optimism. It is hope rooted in acknowledgement of our current state, whilst leaning into impactful relationships, collective action and a commitment to imagining and building a more equitable future.
A reflection
One of the greatest privileges of my role as Project Manager for ARCH is creating intentional spaces for honest conversation, community and collaboration. The conversations at the National Theatre reminded me that while many of us have been working towards equity for years, we don’t have to carry that work alone. There is power in coming together, not simply to name what’s broken, but to imagine what could be different and commit to building it together.
For me, that’s what ARCH represents: a collective voice, a shared responsibility and a belief that representation must lead to meaningful change. I left the afternoon feeling hopeful not because the challenges are any smaller, but because the community committed to addressing them continues to grow.
What’s Next?
The conversations at the National Theatre are only the beginning. As ARCH continues to create spaces for dialogue, challenge and collective action, we invite you to join us for our next online webinar.
Cultural Contagion: Memory, Space & Ill-being
9 September 2026 | 1.00–2.00pm | Online
How do the places we inhabit, the symbols we encounter and the histories they carry shape our health and wellbeing?
This thought-provoking conversation will explore how cultural environments can foster belonging—or contribute to exclusion and ill-being—and what this means for the future of creative health.
Together, we’ll ask:
What are the health consequences of inhabiting cultural environments that deny, erase or distort your identity?
We hope you’ll join us as we continue to ask difficult questions, share knowledge across the sector and work collectively towards a more equitable future for creative health.
This reflection was written by Jemilea Wisdom-Baako.