THE OPPORTUNITY

We are looking for a freelance researcher to take on a six month commission to help identify and map initiatives that fall under the scope of ‘queer creative health’ in Greater London. 

This task builds on QUEERCIRCLE’s existing work to carve out a critical space through which ‘creative health’ might be usefully ‘queered’ in relation to LGBTQIA+ communities. It also takes place alongside London Arts in Health’s own mapping project that can help make London a ‘creative health city’. 

The mapping research would make apparent existing and potential new connections between LGBTQIA+ arts & health organisations and creative health infrastructures within Greater London (with a future focus on South East London).

THE BRIEF

The mapping might involve thinking about how existing networks relate and connect including: arts organisations who undertake queer creative health work and/or programmes: LGBTQIA+ organisations who adopt creative health angles and perspectives; hospital arts programmes, public health and borough-wide initiatives alongside grassroots groups and initiatives. 

Acknowledging that many grassroots community groups are unfamiliar with the term and remit of ‘creative health’, a further part of this work would explore the tensions and differences between how institutional bodies and local authority services approach this work relative to more community-led, volunteer groups. 

A final part of the research might involve canvassing LGBTQ+ groups on the usefulness of bringing together creative health networks in order to make them accessible through shared directories and resources. What might be needed and helpful going forward?