Arts In Care Homes

NAPA Programme ·

A NAPA programme highlighting the wellbeing benefits of arts, creativity and cultural engagement in care settings.

About the programme

Arts in Care Homes is NAPA’s national campaign. It aims to highlight the wellbeing benefits of arts, creativity and cultural engagement in care settings, promoting beneficial outcomes for care recipients, staff teams and relatives, championing good practice and encouraging care settings to develop more creative activities and opportunities.

NAPA champions a diverse range of creative activity including film-making, opera, dance and movement, poetry, exploring museum collections, ceramics, digital arts and circus skills. The arts can make life more meaningful and enjoyable for everyone, provided that people are given opportunities to participate in a variety of ways.

What the programme does

Champion good practice

Sharing what excellent arts provision looks like across the sector.

Build partnerships

Connecting care settings with artists, arts organisations and cultural institutions.

Develop resources

Practical guides and toolkits for managers and activity providers.

Partnership working

A key learning from the programme is the importance of partnership working and sharing of knowledge and expertise between the arts and social care sectors. Care settings and arts organisations can achieve far more together than either can alone.

How to get involved:

Organise an arts activity in your setting; any art form, any scale
Involve residents, staff and families in planning
Work in partnership with a local artist or arts organisation
Use the National Day of Arts in Care Homes as a focal point

Help Shape the Future of Creativity in Care

As we begin our new three-year Creativity and Arts Programme, we want to understand what creativity and arts provision looks like across care settings today. Whether you’re an activity provider, care leader, artist, arts organisation, community group, volunteer or someone involved in bringing creativity into care, we want to hear from you.

Your experiences, ideas and insights will help us build a programme that reflects the needs of the sector, celebrates great practice and supports creativity to flourish for everyone receiving care.

"I don't know how we would have survived lockdown without art."

Activity Provider

Get involved

The National Day of Arts in Care Homes

Every year on 24 September, care settings across the UK celebrate arts and creativity. The National Day is the centrepiece of the Arts in Care Homes programme.

NATIONAL CAMPAIGN · 2026

Get involved!

NAPA Programme ·