Arts and communities

Blogs & conversations Art and the healing environment

'Between birth and death, many of life’s most critical moments occur in hospital and they deserve to take place in surroundings that match their significance.' Richard Cork, The Healing Presence of Art (2012)

By Vivienne Reiss, 2024

Blogs & conversations Finding the beauty in illness

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and this year’s campaign is focusing on raising awareness around secondary breast cancer. In this powerful blog, Churchill Fellow, Lottie Barnes (CF 2020) talks through her second primary cancer diagnosis and how it interrupted her Fellowship journey but inspired her to challenge perceptions around the imagery of illness. Photographed in chronological order (2021-22), with a high-fashion, photo shoot aesthetic, ‘Finding the Beauty in Illness’ documents and interprets an eight to nine-month journey of chemotherapy and mastectomy to convalescence and beyond.

By Lottie Barnes, 2023

Fellows' updates July 2023 Fellow's update: David Stanley

Disability Campaigner, David Stanley (CF 2019) recently ran a unique accessible music session at 10 Downing Street. He and his Music Man Project Global Ambassadors delivered a performance workshop to pupils from Westminster primary schools as part of Downing Street’s “Lessons at 10” programme. The Prime Minister’s wife attended the session and the Prime Minister himself came along at the end. David has also undertaken a concert tour of San Diego and performed at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Marines. Musical theatre and TV star, Michael Ball has become a patron of David's charity. David has also continued his lobbying work by meeting with the Minister for Disabled People, Tom Pursglove MP and Penny Mordaunt MP. David was also given the Freedom of the City of Southend-On-Sea in recognition of his music education charity for people with learning disabilities. Southend Mayor Stephen Habermel bestowed the honour at a special council meeting on Thursday. Accepting his honour, David thanked his family and paid tribute to his students, his project team, and to the late MP Sir David Amess who was a keen supporter of the Music Man Project.

By David Stanley, 2023

Fellows' updates January 2023 Fellow's update: David Stanley

Disability campaigner David Stanley (CF 2019) undertook a musical performance tour of San Diego with a group of musicians with learning disabilities.

By David Stanley, 2023