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Inspire
Inspire, is a leading arts organisation primarily within Cambridgeshire that is committed to the promotion of the value of the arts within a holistic approach to health.
What Inspire Does
Inspire (wellbeing through arts) has been designing and running high quality and original arts projects with people who have disabilities or long-term health problems since 1986 - under the name Inspire since 2005, empowering them to overcome difficulties, learn new skills, express themselves, integrate into the community, improve their quality of life, and gain recognition for their abilities and talents.
The people who benefit from our work include people with physical disabilities, sensory impairments, mental health difficulties, dementia, as well as young people at risk or disadvantaged by factors outside their control. They live mainly in the Cambridgeshire area.
Our initiatives include the development of: an Information and Advice Service, an Arts and Health Network, an Arts Referral Scheme, an Arts and Mental Health conference, Arts & New Technologies work which was featured on the NESTA web-site and won two awards, and the renowned Funky Flamingo project, including Funky Flamingo TV - the first internet TV station in the world run by and for people with disabilities.
Inspire was established in 1986 and is both a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. We moved to Peterborough Arts Centre in 1990, to Wysing Arts Centre in 1997 and, finally, to Milton in 2007.
We have successfully developed and delivered arts projects, training, information and advice to people who are disadvantaged or disabled. Our current funding sources include the, Cambridgeshire County Council, Cambridge City Council, Big Lottery Fund, Learning and Skills Council via the CLiP Consortium, Mediabox, Youth Bank and several charitable trusts.
Why Our Work Is Important
In recent years there has been an increase in the understanding of using arts within health to support those with mental and/or physical disabilities, not just as 'therapy'.
Such support can include:
* Patients
* Positive physiological and psychological changes in clinical outcomes
* Reducing drug consumption
* Shortening length of stay in hospital
* Improving mental healthcare
* Promoting better patient-doctor relationships
Health Practitioners
* Increasing job satisfaction
* Promoting better doctor-patient relationships
* Developing health practitioners' empathy across gender and cultural diversity
We have been exploring and developing programmes in this area over the last few years and have become recognised as a leader in this emerging market. We have a proven track record, knowledge and experience with a broad spectrum of socially excluded people.
At the heart of Inspire's vision lies in our fundamental belief in using arts to promote well-being.
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