Creative Health in practice: Hub-and-Spoke consortium working across West Yorkshire

Introduction: From Isolated Projects to Regional Collaboration

Creative Health, as the integration of cultural and creative practices into public health, has grown rapidly across West Yorkshire in the last 3 years. Traditionally, projects were small, fragmented, and dependent on short-term funding. To address these challenges, a Hub-and-Spoke consortium model was developed with funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council. ¹ This model aims to strengthen collaboration, evaluation, and long-term sustainability for Creative Health across sectors (including NHS bodies, local authorities, cultural organisations, universities, and voluntary and community organisations (VCSEs)).

West Yorkshire Creative Health System: Vision and Work Streams

Funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) over 2 years, the West Yorkshire Creative Health System provides the strategic infrastructure supporting the Hub-and-Spoke consortium. Its vision is to produce a connected, evidence-based and inclusive Creative Health System that can support healthier and happier lives across West Yorkshire. ²

The System is focusing on six work streams:

1. Regional Creative Health Network – building a consortium of health, cultural, academic, and VCSE partners to help better embed Creative Health into regional public health, making it a sustained and visible part of prevention and wellbeing initiatives.

2. Evidence Mapping – consolidating Creative Health provision across the region to inform evaluation, commissioning, and strategic development.

3. Creative Health Strategy – creating a framework for Creative Health across West Yorkshire.

4. Raising Visibility and Awareness – promoting Creative Health’s benefits to communities, commissioners and policymakers.

5. Workforce Development – equipping creative practitioners, health professionals, and commissioners with the skills and understanding to deliver sustainable, high-quality Creative Health interventions.

6. Future Commissioning and Funding – embedding Creative Health in commissioning cycles and other funding streams to ensure long-term financial sustainability of the system.

Together, these work streams provide a foundation for coordinated, evidence-informed, and scalable Creative Health practice across West Yorkshire.

Hub-And-Spoke Consortium Working

The hub-and-spoke model positions the Creative Health Hub and collaborating partners at the centre of the system. Its functions include the following:

• Strategic coordination: convening partners, aligning initiatives with public health priorities, and supporting regional advocacy.

• Shared evaluation frameworks: collating evidence and outcomes across districts to inform future thinking and action.

• Knowledge exchange and networking: promoting cross-sector learning and diffusion of best practice.

Local partners are working with the consortium to consider how the Creative Health System can work with communities, ensuring cultural relevance and responsiveness to lived experience.

Examples of Place-Based Working Across West Yorkshire

Bradford district and craven ³

Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture (Bradford Culture Company) integrated Creative Health into social prescribing and public health strategies. Thirty-one projects use arts-based interventions to reduce isolation, support long-term conditions, and improve mental wellbeing. The Community of Practice builds practitioner skills and ensures legacy, embedding Creative Health in both culture and health systems.

Calderdale: create & bloom app ⁴

Create & Bloom provides structured creative courses in drawing, writing, dance, and mixed media. Users track activity and wellbeing, generating feedback that informs future content. The app expands access to those facing mobility, time, or location barriers, aligning with prevention and inclusion priorities while strengthening social connection.

Kirklees: museums and workforce development ⁵

Programmes such as Mondays at the Museum repurpose cultural spaces for health and wellbeing activities. Hoot Creative Arts provides specialist training for artists and clinicians, supporting sustainable delivery and capacity-building. This dual approach ensures quality interventions and strengthens local creative-health ecosystems. ⁵

Leeds: infrastructure and evidence-led impacts ⁶

The Leeds Arts Health and Wellbeing Network (LAHWN) connects Local Authority, Public Health, VCSE and academic partners. Evidence mapping shows improved mental wellbeing, reduced isolation and stronger community networks. Public Health commissioned programmes such as Being You Leeds anchor Creative Health in priority wards, embedding prevention and improving wellbeing.

Wakefield: youth-led creativity and advocacy ⁷

The Creative Wakefield network links major institutions to public health objectives. Powering Up, a youth-led initiative, co-produces arts projects and advocacy campaigns that foster agency, resilience, and inclusion. By centring young people’s voices, Wakefield demonstrates Creative Health’s role in addressing inequalities while developing leadership and capabilities.

Table 1

Hub-and-spoke functions and public health benefits

Hub-and-spoke function	Public health contribution
Regional coordination and shared strategy	Prevention alignment; consistent referral pathways
Shared evaluation framework	Evidence for commissioning and scale
Workforce development	Quality, sustainability, and capacity-building
Place-based development	Cultural relevance; community trust
Raising visibility and awareness	Advocacy; population engagement
Cross-sector advocacy	Health equity and integrated care commissioning

Key learning points include

1. Infrastructure matters: The Hub enables scale, consistency, and regional alignment.

2. Collaboration drives relevance: Place-based design improves engagement, trust, and equity.

3. Collective advocacy strengthens sustainability: A unified consortium amplifies the case for long-term investment.

Conclusion

Hub-and-Spoke consortium working, supported by the WYCA-funded West Yorkshire Creative Health System, demonstrates that Creative Health can move from fragmented projects to a coordinated, sustainable and evidence-informed regional model. By combining strategic regional oversight with place-based delivery, the system supports prevention, health and wellbeing, social prescribing and health equity. Embedding Creative Health into public health requires continued collaboration, workforce development and sustainable investment to ensure the benefits reach communities long-term.

The West Yorkshire Creative Health System is led by the University of Huddersfield National Creative Health Hub in partnership with Bradford Culture Company Ltd, Leeds Arts, Health and Wellbeing Network (University of Leeds), Forum Central, Kirklees Council Culture Team, hoot Creative Arts, Wakefield District Council Culture Team, South West Yorkshire NHS Partnership Trust. To find out more about the work of the Creative Health System, interested practitioners, commissioners, and community members can access resources, case studies, and evaluation reports through the National Creative Health Hub website. ⁸