Council project offers advice on living a creative, health life

CARLOW and Kilkenny County Council have just announced a joint project called Living Artfully, a two-year programme funded through Creative Ireland and aimed at supporting creativity for health and wellbeing in the community.

Living Artfully invites service users and staff engaged with Traveller support services, dementia-friendly services, mental health services, social prescribing services and the HSE in Carlow and Kilkenny to participate in this therapeutic intervention and health resource that will offer a mechanism to instil creative, healthy and helpful habits into their lives.

Speaking at the launch event in Carlow Town Hall, cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council cllr Fergal Brown said: “This initiative will use music, song and creativity as a vehicle to improve/maintain the health and wellbeing of our communities. It will offer a means for self-expression, increasing confidence, affirming identity, celebrating existing skills and nurturing new ones.” Creative Communities engagement officer Aileen Nolan said: “We believe in the innate creative potential of all communities across Carlow. Through Creative Ireland Carlow we aim to respond to the needs of our communities through working with local agencies and partners. The vision for Living Artfully is one of a community who are supported and encouraged to enjoy the riches and pleasures of an abundant cultural life. We look forward to seeing it flourish in Carlow and Kilkenny over the next two years.” To keep up to date with the Carlow Creative Ireland Programme on Facebook, go to https://www.facebook.com/CreativeIrelandCarlow/