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Our National Health Stories Wins RSPH Award


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We are thrilled to announce that Our National Health Stories has won the Royal Society for Public Health Arts & Health Award 2024!

The RSPH Health and Wellbeing Awards is the UK’s premier awards scheme for promoting health and wellbeing, celebrating activities, policies and strategies that empower communities and individuals, improving the populations and health and address the wider social determinants of health.

Our National Health Stories was awarded the top prize in the Arts & Health category. The award recognises organisations whose work has furthered the contribution of the creative arts to health and wellbeing.

A group of 4 people smiling, one is holding an award. They are standing next to a large green banner that says RSPH Vision, Voice and Practice

An unprecedented national programme of artistic work


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Created in collaboration with 19 hospital trusts across England, Our National Health Stories was a powerful and moving portrait of the NHS on its 75th Anniversary. Starting in May of 2023, NHS staff embarked on a six-month programme of creative activity, culminating in November of the same year with a live, day-long, nationwide relay performance in Trusts across England, as well as performing at a one-off show led by Artistic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah at Aviva Studios.

Artwork of all different forms – music, drawings, paintings, dance, poetry and more – was created by and with over 2,000 staff members in more than 80 hospitals across the country, allowing NHS staff to tell their stories and share what being part of the NHS means to them, as well as recognise the impact it has had on their lives.

To find out more about Our National Health Stories and to watch the 2023 performances, click here

A stage full of performers with their arms raised an smiling. An audience looks on with their arms also raised
Our National Health Stories finale. Photo by Chris Payne

On behalf of the Our National Health Stories steering group Laura Waters says,

“I’m delighted to announce that Our National Health Stories has won the RSPH Arts & Health Award; it’s a huge testament to the incredible creativity of thousands of NHS staff across the country, showcasing the often-unseen work of hospital arts.”

 

Guy Noble says,

“Congratulations to everyone involved in bringing Our National Health Stories to life! We’d like to thank our funders, Arts Council England, NHS Charities Together in partnership with NHS England. The project wouldn’t have been possible without the support and commitment of the 19 NHS trusts, their staff and performers, Thanks also to our amazing creative team led by Artistic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah, Creative Director Emma Dunton, alongside writer Chris Bush and composer Ruth Chan, with dramaturg Teunkie Van Der Sluijs and associate director Jennifer Tang; plus, everyone else involved behind the scenes that helped to realise the project.”

Kwame Kwei-Armah, St George's Staff Choir and ONHS Live performers on stage clapping and smiling
Our National Health Stories finale. Image credit Chris Payne

Read the full Press Release




A poet standing performs in front of a seated audience with their backs to the camera. Behind the poet four other performers are seated smiling and looking on
The poet Sarah McCreadie performs at University College London Hospitals. Photo by Alicia Clarke

The project was funded by Arts Council England, NHS Charities Together in partnership with NHS England. It was made possible through the support in kind of the 19 participating NHS Trusts and funding from their hospital charities.