Mayoral Authorities Creative Health Network Co Lab

Held on 9th September 2026 at the home of darts in Doncaster, the Mayoral Authorities Creative Health Network Co-Lab, was the third ‘Activation’ exploring what a flourishing creative health ecosystem looks like and how we get there.

The day facilitated by Make Work Play, used creative facilitation to explore questions such as:

• What does our ideal creative health ecosystem look like?
• What is the role for Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSA)?
• How does creative health fit into MSA priority areas such as good growth and the duty to consider population health?
• What do we need to help us get there?

As Norfolk and Suffolk move towards devolution in 2028, the event provided an opportunity to learn from other devolved regions across the UK about their experiences of Creative Health and the strategic mechanisms that have helped build momentum and deliver results.

During the event we heard from South Yorkshire Creative Health Lead Rachel Massey. Since 2023 the South Yorkshire Creative Health Board has acted as a vehicle to bring together creative health across the four boroughs in South Yorkshire, represented by the Barnsley Creative Health Partnership, Doncaster Arts & Health Board, Rotherham Creative Health Board and Sheffield Creative Health Board.

In 2024 the ICP gave them a mandate to form a Board and develop an Enabling Plan. You can read the Enabling Plan here.

Click to read more about the Creative Communities programme including the development of a Creative Communities Toolkit and a forthcoming series of policy papers exploring the role of culture and R&D in devolved policy making.

For ways to add your voice to the Norfolk and Suffolk Creative Health eco-system, join the new Creative Health Interest Meetings (CHIMe) and/or sign up to the Creative Health Mailing List to be kept informed of developments happening across the regions.