MA Arts Practice (Arts, Health and Wellbeing)

You will develop new ways of looking at your own practice within the field of arts, health and wellbeing. You will explore distinct areas of arts practice, professional practice, research, and evaluation while reviewing your own and fellow students work-in-progress. Through negotiation, you will develop proposals for new work that will form the framework for further development. The course is structured to enable you to fully realise your ambitions for your practice.

The MA Arts Practice Arts, Health and Wellbeing course begins in October each year and runs over 18 months.

Part One: October March

• Arts Practice 1 Review and Develop (40 credits)
• Research and Development of Creative Practice (20 credits)

Part Two: April September

• Arts Practice 2 Progress and Situate (40 credits)
• Professional Practice within Arts, Health and Wellbeing (20 credits)

Part Three: October March

• Arts Practice 3 Refine and Resolve (60 credits)

You will study over a number of designated weekend sessions, held at approximately monthly intervals at our Cardiff campus, allowing you to study alongside other personal and work commitments you may have.

Weekends will include lectures, seminars, guest speakers and workshops; your study will be further supported via on-line tutorials. This blended approach to teaching, which combines face to face teaching with online support for study will enable you to develop as an independent, enterprising artist.

You will be encouraged to share your ongoing practice and research within a supportive learning environment, which broadens access to knowledge and experience, fosters communities of interest and common areas of creative practice within the cohort. Distinctive features of the course include, for example, the use of presentations of ongoing practice as a vehicle for learning and group critique, where students discuss their work with their peers and tutors.

Modules are largely assessed via practical outcomes, project proposals and research folios. Some modules make use of presentations and discussion of working methods and final outcomes. We will give you regular verbal feedback to help you develop your understanding during each module.

A good undergraduate degree in a related discipline such as art/design or other areas of creative practice, or a significant body of practical/professional work in the field of the arts, that demonstrates competencies equivalent to a Bachelors degree.

Applicants with appropriate qualifications in related fields such as teaching, art training, arts administration, occupational therapy, arts therapies, health sector management, arts and disability, social services, community work, youth work, or a period of professional employment in the field, will also be considered.

All suitable applicants will be contacted by the Course Leader for an informal chat as part of the consideration process. This could take place on campus or off campus via telephone or Microsoft Teams.

Our students have progressed to employment as freelance arts practitioners working to commission and within community contexts, work with health boards, charities, local authorities and in the education sector. We are proud to have alumni who now have positions of responsibility in health boards and in advisory roles in the Arts Council of Wales. Graduates from this course are shaping the future of arts and health strategic development and practice.

We take pride in our professional links within this sector and provide support for our students to work with creative professionals through live projects.

Previous projects have included:

• NHS Health Boards
• Mental Health Unit, Royal Glamorgan Hospital: Mixed media workshops with patients
• Ty Hafan, Cardiff: Mixed media workshops with paediatric oncology patients
• Salisbury District General Hospital: internship
• Llantrisant Hospital: Residential psychiatric provisions; painting and printmaking project
• North Bristol NHS Trust: Photographic Panels
• Cardiff and Vale University Health Board: Project with patients and staff in dementia wards
• Aneurin Bevan University Health Board: Photographic panels
• Cwm Taf Morganwwg University Health Board: Photographic panels
• Swansea Bay University Health Board: Photographic panels

Education

• Aberdare, Park Lane School: Painting and mural project
• Neath Port Talbot College: Textile project
• Ysgol Crug Glas: Stained glass project
• Ty Coryton: Pinhole photography and printmaking
• Heronsbridge School: Sensory arts project
• Ty Gwyn Special School: Painting project

Local Authorities

• Caerphilly: Inside Out Project: Creative arts rehabilitation programme
• Powys: Arts activities pack for looked after children

Charities/Communities

• Making Minds, Pontyclun: Hope flags textile project with voluntary participants
• Oasis, Cardiff: Printmaking project; Self and place with centre users, exhibited at St Fagans Museum
• Community Lantern Parade, Bristol
• The Gate Arts Centre: Dance project with women over 60 years
• Cartrefi Cymru: Mixed media workshops, Adults with leaning difficulties
• Macmillan Cancer Care and Grief Space: Arts workshops
• Quest Busters: Dance project with carers

Graduates can also apply to study a PhD or research degree.