Sharing creative and cultural resources: A museum-based creative wellbeing studio for adults with mental health difficulties

USW, Cardiff and Vale UHB and St Fagans National Museum of History have been collaborating to develop the concept of a museum-based creative wellbeing studio for adults experiencing mental health difficulties. Led by an Art Therapist and based at the Museum, the studio would be a supportive therapeutic space for Community Mental Health Team service users. It would harness the rich cultural resources of the Museum, taking inspiration from the idea that exploring our past nourishes our present. It is envisaged as a place where an inclusive creative culture can thrive, and where individuals can develop their coping strategies and feelings of self-esteem, confidence, inclusion and integration. Although museum-based Art Therapy is growing, along with the evidence base, to our knowledge there are no other museum-based art therapy studios of this kind in the UK.