As we enter a new year and a traditional time for changing behaviour and routines, a Cornish organisation is helping people to ingrain healthy creative habits to improve their wellbeing.

Arts Well, based in Penryn, is opening up their workspace at Jubilee Wharf and encouraging people to join in with January Challenges on Monday 16th, Wednesday 18th, Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th January.

Championing the role that art and creativity plays in promoting health, Arts Well is utilising the ‘64 Million Artists’ campaign, which encourages people to get involved with 31 creative challenges over the 31 days of the month.

Believing that everyone is creative, 64 Million Artists’ goal is to ingrain creative habits into people’s daily routine – within January, but then also setting a pattern long-term.

Arts Well is joining this campaign throughout the month, sharing and promoting creative challenges, encouraging other Cornwall-based community groups to get involved and offering support in terms of ideas and sharing their opportunities.

The CIC is also providing space and materials at its offices at Jubilee Wharf in Penryn each week for people to tackle one or more of the challenges together.

Jayne Howard, Director of Arts Well explains: “We are excited to be taking part in the 64 Million Artists’ campaign and creating a space at Jubilee Wharf for people to join in together.

“Arts and crafts have mental and emotional benefits and there is good evidence that they are protective of mental health and wellbeing.

“We are encouraging people to explore and take part in creative daily activities and inviting them to share in the challenges that we are hosting in our office’s creative space on these key dates in January.”

Jayne continues: “We know that engaging in creative pursuits can help prevent people becoming ill and benefit those with particular health conditions.

“Through sharing the 64 Million Artists campaign, we are giving people ideas about how they can develop their creativity, which we hope they will then build into their daily lives.”

Arts Well supports people to take time each day throughout the year to immerse themselves in something creative that they enjoy, highlighting the link between creative pursuits and the benefits that they can bring.

People do not need to become experts, take on long courses or heavy commitments – the message is to engage in a daily habit that can bring rewards very quickly, starting in January that then becomes a healthy daily habit.

Jayne says: “From actively listening to a song or piece of music, engaging in mindful doodling, picking up some knitting or taking a photograph, being creative is valuable.

“The process of doing something creative can bring many benefits and we hope to help people kick-start a healthy daily creative habit throughout January and beyond.”

Arts Well is a non-profit organisation based in Cornwall championing the role of the arts and creativity in promoting health and wellbeing, working with organisations to develop projects, programmes and services that improve health and the wellbeing of individuals, groups and communities.

The organisation works with the creative sector in Cornwall to promote activities that help with depression, anxiety and distress; whilst providing a range of creative opportunities directly to the public, businesses and other organisations throughout the county.

For further information about Arts Well, visit www.arts-well.com or find them on social media.

For more information about 64 Million Artists, visit https://64millionartists.com