Creative Health Camden is an initiative in North London that supports arts and community projects. For Engage Here, this meant securing a space within the James Wigg Practice, a local GP surgery in Camden, to deliver sensory art workshops. While most of our workshops take place in settings such as community or cultural centres, hosting them in a healthcare setting enabled a different level of accessibility. This means that users of the practice can be referred by their GP to one of our sessions, resulting in participants receiving local, holistic support in a location they trust. Our drop-in policy also means there is a positive hub in a setting that might otherwise be stressful for users

The format of the workshops follows our "Make Sense" programme, which utilises art processes to stimulate the senses. For example, we have been able to monoprint and cyanotype print with natural materials found in the health centre's garden, as well as respond to local sounds through drawing. The benefit of a long-term programme means we can repeat processes that participants responded to best and want to explore further. We have a regular group of six participants, and it has been encouraging to see sustained improvement in their confidence. We are also pleased to have a number of drop-ins who have kept the sessions fresh and dynamic.

This programme has been a great example of participatory diversity. Currently involved are people living with dementia, an adult with cognitive impairment, and older participants who have not been formally diagnosed with dementia but are experiencing many of the symptoms. It has engaged locals who were already using the GP practice and also brought new people to the practice who may, in turn, access other helpful services. The programme has offered opportunities for GPs and social prescribers to get involved and take part in the sessions, alongside other participants, to gain a better understanding of the service they are referring patients to.

This project has been made possible by the National Lottery Community Fund.