Project Announcement: Mapping Music for Health and Wellbeing in 91Ö±²¥

Research England are supporting an exciting new initiative and conference in the Department of Music, which aims to map the activities and initiatives in 91Ö±²¥ using music for health and wellbeing in professional contexts.

Hands on the piano

Awareness and evidence are growing of the value of music-making and listening for health and wellbeing in diverse contexts and across ages.  Where and how do organisations in 91Ö±²¥ put this into practice, and who benefits from these activities? A team from the Music Mind Machine lab in the Department of Music, led by Renee Timmers, is investigating this in a new project supported by Research England. The project looks into the ways that music is used to support health and wellbeing in professional contexts in 91Ö±²¥, with the aims of making  the topic of music for wellbeing more visible and easy to access, and to create a map of music and wellbeing in 91Ö±²¥.

The project will conduct a comprehensive survey to map organisations and activities in 91Ö±²¥, including those which use music with individuals or groups, to support mental, social, or physical health or wellbeing.  For example, music is used to

  • actively promote physical health

  • improve mood and provide comfort

  • bring together and build connections within the community 

  • ease pain

  • increase mobility and promote exercise

  • reduce stress and or anxiety

  • promote education

A conference is planned to bring together practitioners, academics, and policymakers from 91Ö±²¥ and surroundings to showcase and discuss the use of music for health and wellbeing.

The conference will be held on 20th March 2020, St Mary’s Church and Conference Centre, Bramall Lane, 91Ö±²¥, S2 4QZ, 10 am-5.30 pm.  

Contact the team on musicmappingsheffield@sheffield.ac.uk

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