AN innovative study led by the University of Nottingham is to investigate whether arts and humanities can help improve the mental health and well-being of patients and carers.
The five-year project will examine the role that music, storytelling, photography, sculpture and other activities might play in assisting mental health service users and those who look after them.
The study comes as part of an attempt to challenge a perceived over-reliance on pharmaceutical and psychotherapy solutions.
Professor Paul Crawford, who is leading the research, said: "We are seeking to show that in health, social care and adult education fields there are great opportunities to achieve a more shared creative process that will have emotional and mental health and well-being benefits not just for service users but also for informal carers and health, social care and education practitioners."
