Creative Health

Suffolk Artlink’s Curious Minds is a mental health wellbeing project, delivered in partnership with Suffolk Community Libraries and The Food Museum. Its purpose is to support the Primary Care Personalised Care Programme and participation is by referral through Ipswich and East Suffolk Primary Care.

This free programme supports people aged 18 or over in Ipswich and East Suffolk living with complex health needs who are diagnosed with two or more long-term health conditions. It is an arts and heritage programme designed to support wellbeing through creative and mindful activities.

Curious Minds offers participants the chance to enjoy exploring a variety of art forms whilst developing creative skills and tools to support mental wellbeing.

Curious Minds will be delivered at Ipswich County Library in the next few months. If you are interested in joining the project or would like to refer someone you know, please email wellbeing@suffolk.gov.uk.

Suffolk Artlink’s Brave Art Unlimited is a programme for learning disabled and neurodivergent people to access high quality creative opportunities.

Through a series of artist-led sessions in three locations we provide inspiration and support for people to express themselves through visual arts, bringing the social and wellbeing benefits of being creative together.

Brave Art is delivered at Bury St Edmunds Library, Ipswich County Library, and Lowestoft Library. For more information on upcoming term dates, please contact enquiries@suffolkartlink.org.uk or call 01986 873955.

Know Another is a drink-awareness campaign to help you understand your alcohol intake and get advice and resources to help cut down if you think you’re drinking too much too regularly.

Our libraries offer regular drop-in groups for you to chat with trained staff and find resources. You can take an online survey about alcohol consumption to see if you’re a low risk, medium risk, or high risk drinker. We also hold free mocktail events every few months to socialise with others and try new non-alcoholic drinks.

 

Find out more about Know Another →

Tonic: Singing for Health, in partnership with Cohere Arts, provides free singing workshops for anyone who may be living with health challenges. Led by singing for health specialist Francis Goodhand, each workshop will include breathing exercises, gentle vocal warm-ups and a range of songs, old and new.

Research has shown that singing regularly with others has many health benefits including the improvement of cardiorespiratory functions and immune system, reduction of stress hormone levels and increased feelings of connection with others.

The Tonic: Singing for Health sessions are currently running at Leiston Library until Wednesday 8 July. The project will resume in September 2026.

Please get in touch with us wellbeing@suffolk.gov.uk if you would like any further information. If not, you can just turn up!

 

Read our impact report →

5asideCHESS is not about being a chess master or even the need to be very good at chess. We say “it’s who you meet, not who you beat”, using 5asideCHESS as a tool to meet people, play, teach and chat.
 
5asideCHESS is about connection and community, and has a huge mission to tackle loneliness and social isolation, and to support people’s mental health and wellbeing.
 
5asideCHESS is a mini version of the old game that we use as an international, recognisable language. It is a self-help tool for all ages and backgrounds, and Suffolk Community Libraries is targeting these sessions for people living with Parkinson’s and their loved ones as part of the Creative Health programme.

In March 2026, we held a week-long intensive residency with local artists to explore the role of libraries as places at the intersection between environmental action, creativity and wellbeing.
 
Six artists were selected to explore the potential of community health interventions that connect with and are inspired by environmental advocacy.
 
Following the success of the week, we are delighted to announce all six artists have become Creative Health Associate Artists for Suffolk Community Libraries.
 
The six artists will continue to build on the development and delivery of Creative Health programmes, as well as partake in further training.
 

Meet the artists →