Bell House Creative Health

Creativity, Community, and Friendship

At Bell House, creativity and care are coming together in a new and inspiring way. The Creative Health project explores how art can enhance wellbeing and bring people together. By partnering with local health charities, artists, and community organisations, the project is using creativity as a powerful tool to support both physical and mental health challenges.

Through hands-on workshops in painting, pottery, music and stitching, as well as gardening, participants are discovering how creative expression can boost confidence, reduce stress, and build connections. Each session is designed to be inclusive and accessible, encouraging everyone to take part, explore their creativity, and leave with a sense of achievement and belonging.

Health charity partners help shape the programme, ensuring that activities draw on therapeutic practices and align with evidence-based approaches to wellbeing. This collaboration strengthens the impact of each workshop and creates space for dialogue and empathy around health challenges that affect our community.

Workshops take place at Bell House where creativity thrives in projects such as Quilt Academy which already works with Southwark Social Prescribing. As the project grows, so does our belief that active engagement with the arts and creativity can be beneficial for our health and wellbeing.

The Bell House Creative Health Project is a celebration of creativity’s power to heal, connect, and transform lives.

Why Creative Health Matters

Research continues to show the powerful role that creativity plays in health and wellbeing. Engaging in the arts can:

• Reduce stress and anxiety

• Improve communication and self-expression

• Strengthen confidence and independence

• Build social connections and reduce isolation

By embedding creativity into healthcare and community life, the Bell House Creative Health project is helping to shape a future where art and health work hand in hand.

Partnerships with Charities & Southwark Social Prescribing

We are pleased to be working with:

• Southwark Social Prescribing – a programme that connects residents in Southwark with local community groups, activities and services to help improve their health and wellbeing beyond medical treatments

• Aphasia Reconnect – a charity supporting people with aphasia, a communication disability often caused by stroke or brain injury. Their guidance ensures our workshops are inclusive, offering creative ways for participants to express themselves beyond words.

  “A wonderful workshop with all members having something rather beautiful to take home. We so appreciate your time, skills and extraordinary good will throughout.”

• Whippersnappers – a charity dedicated to inclusive arts and music projects that support children, young people, and adults of all abilities. Their expertise in music and creative play enriches our sessions, making them accessible and joyful for everyone.

• Crawford Primary School - nature & nurture group. A small group of 8 year olds that are overwhelmed in the playground and may not talk during the school day, come to Bell House to build their confidence and resilience by doing gentle activities and interacting with Bell House volunteers.

• Birth Rites Collection - the only contemporary art collection in the world dedicated to childbirth. Established in 2008, it comprises 114 works by internationally recognised artists including Judy Chicago, Anna Perach, Ana Casas Broda, Himali Singh Soin, Puck Verkade, Leni Dothan and Lauren McLaughlin. Previously hosted by the University of Salford (2009 to 2017), King’s College London (2017 to 2021) and the University of Kent (2022 to 2026), Hornsey Town Hall and Libraries 2026 and currently resident at Bell House and Lambeth Libraries and Archives 2026 to 2027, the Collection curates, commissions and collects contemporary art on childbirth, presenting works in gallery and public settings that explore the politics and practice of childbirth.

Together, these partnerships ensure the project remains rooted in compassion, accessibility, and therapeutic practice. Our experienced volunteers are able to offer training to our volunteer helpers.

Join Us

Whether you are an artist, a healthcare professional, a potential participant, or simply someone who cares about community wellbeing, we invite you to get involved. Together, we can celebrate the healing power of creativity and support those who need it most.

📍 Location: Bell House, Dulwich
🤝 Partners: Crawford Primary School, Southwark Social Prescribing, Aphasia Reconnect, Whippersnappers