Akademi opens the Creative Health and Wellbeing Conference 2026, 7 Oct
Thursday 7 Oct 2026, 1:45 pm
Barnsley Civic Centre
We were honoured to open this year’s Creative Health and Wellbeing Conference, Common Ground, at Barnsley with a specially choreographed performance drawing on our work in hospital wards, care homes and community centres.
The piece brought together Kathak, performed by Shivani Jatar, and Bharatanatyam, performed by Hiten Mistry. The two classical Indian dance forms united in a single work reflecting on the healing power of arts in care settings.
The conference, hosted by the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance, gathered leaders and practitioners from across the creative health sector to explore how the arts can drive systemic change in health and wellbeing. Speakers included Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, alongside researchers, clinicians and artists working at the forefront of the field. Our Artistic Director, Suba, and Executive Director, Kirsten, attended the conference engaging with sector conversations that were insightful in developing our health and wellbeing work nationally.
Being invited to open proceedings was a meaningful recognition of Akademi’s growing work in health settings and a reminder of why that work matters.
Photos: Kirsten Burrows and Suba Subramaniam