Georgia Ruth has contributed a four-part video series to the Cultural Cwtsh, a creative wellbeing resource dedicated to supporting Wales’ health and care staff.
Acclaimed Welsh singer-songwriter Georgia Ruth reveals ‘the comfort and pleasure’ of song writing to Wales’ health and care workers in a new video series designed to support their health and wellbeing.
The Welsh Music Prize winner, who has been writing songs since the age of six, is one of more than 50 artists to have contributed to the Cultural Cwtsh – an online creative wellbeing resource that uses the arts’ restorative power to support NHS and social care staff. During four short video sessions, Aberystwyth-based Ruth coaches viewers through the process of writing lyrics, finding a melody that fits those words and then exploring ways to accompany the song they’ve created.
She said: “During the past year, my family have personally experienced how hard health staff work on behalf of their patients. It’s vitally important they have an opportunity to look after themselves, too.
“Song writing and composing music have provided an important space for me to process things in a healthy way. Just turning up for 15 minutes to play music and try things out, without any pressure on it needing to be any good, allows you to express yourself and check in with yourself. That’s so important, especially for health and care workers who give so much of their time and energy to caring for others.”
The Cultural Cwtsh was created by the Arts Council of Wales as a thank you from the nation’s art sector to busy NHS and social care staff, amid mounting evidence of the positive impact the arts can have on health and wellbeing.
Artists from across Wales bring to life a range of creative activities on the site – from poetry, juggling and beatboxing to dancing and photography – in a bid to help health and care staff switch off from work, lift their spirits and boost their wellbeing.
Sally Lewis, Programme Manager for Arts, Health and Wellbeing at Arts Council of Wales, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to share Georgia’s musical talents with Wales’ health and care staff through the Cultural Cwtsh.
“Our aim has always been to develop a creative wellbeing resource that is as extraordinary as the healthcare staff it is designed for, and that’s been possible only with the continued input of fantastic artists from across Wales like Georgia.
“We hope health and social care staff find the sessions provide a source of comfort, fun, an outlet for self-expression during difficult moments and a boost for their wellbeing.”
The Cultural Cwtsh, created by the Arts Council of Wales with funding support from Welsh Government, is part of an ongoing programme of partnership work in the field of Arts and Health that aims to raise awareness of the proven wellbeing benefits of engaging in the arts.
The resource has been designed in consultation with Health Education Improvement Wales (HEIW), Social Care Wales, the Welsh NHS Confederation, the Arts and Health Coordinators within each Health Board, as well as focus groups of healthcare workers.
Georgia Ruth’s sessions for the Cultural Cwtsh can be found here – https://culturalcwtsh.wales/discover-song-you-today
For more information, or for interview opportunities, contact the Cultural Cwtsh team at culturalcwtsh@arts.wales
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Notes to editors: About Arts Council of Wales
The Arts Council of Wales is the country’s official public body for funding and developing the arts. Every day, people across Wales are enjoying and taking part in the arts. We help to support and grow this activity. We do this by using the public funds that are made available to us by the Welsh Government and by distributing the money we receive as a good cause from the National Lottery. By managing and investing these funds in creative activity, the Arts Council contributes to people’s quality of life and to the cultural, social and economic wellbeing of Wales.