Healthy Performer
Empowering Performing Artists to Improve their Health and Wellbeing
Healthy Performer follows on the hard-won insights generated through the Musical Impact project to motivate performers towards and remove barriers from maintaining healthy performance careers.
The Musical Impact project (AHRC 2014-18) generated new knowledge of the physical and mental demands of music making, providing insight into chronic and acute health problems faced by musicians, as well as existing strategies for promoting health. Healthy Conservatoires was created as a legacy network of Musical Impact and now serves as a mechanism through which knowledge and good practice in the performing arts can be promoted nationally. Driven by a clear need and demand to support performers’ health more effectively, the Healthy Performer project extends the reach of Musical Impact research across other performing arts, including dance, drama, physical theatre and circus arts, generating innovative action, providing leadership and advocacy, and stimulating new, interdisciplinary exchange of good practice.
Over the twelve months of the project, we are carrying out programmes of network building, asset mapping and systematic evaluation of current health resources and practices across the performing arts sector, from music to dance, drama, physical theatre and circus arts, ensuring that the outcomes of Musical Impact can reach the widest possible community of beneficiaries. We are also creating new media content to share knowledge and stimulate change, including three series of short, engaging films encompassing the knowledge and practices identified by Musical Impact.
This effort will serve to maximise the impact of Musical Impact and accelerate the growing momentum of Healthy Conservatoires. What started as a national endeavour will become truly international, looking to a worldwide network of informed and effective performers pushing the boundaries of their art in a healthy, sustainable manner.
Project team
Aaron Williamon, RCM (PI)
George Waddell, RCM
Partners
Supported by
Arts and Humanities Research Council
(2019-20)