Over the summer of 2026, Arts & Health Hub in partnership with King’s Undergraduate Medical Education in the Community (KUMEC) and King’s Culture at Science Gallery London, ran a Creative Wellbeing programme for medical students, doctors and others in the medical community at King’s College London and Guy’s Hospital, thanks to a grant from the Louise Tebboth Foundation (LTF).
The programme ran alongside The Art of Care exhibition showcasing works created by second-year medical students, as part of KUMEC’s year-long medical humanities project exploring lived experiences through the arts.
A panel event, cleverly titled Creativity on Call, brought together clinicians, researchers, artists and medical students to discuss how creativity can support mental wellbeing in medicine. Speakers included Kryssie Tyrtania and Dr Natasha Angadi, who designed an arts for wellbeing project at UCLH also supported by LTF; GP and KUMEC faculty member Dr Wuroud Abuomar; researcher and lecturer Dr Sylvan Baker; and King’s medical student, Nasrien Hossein.
One attendee noted that they learned “the importance of creativity as an outlet to help with stress and burnout,” while another reflected on “how much I need to take care of myself whilst taking care of others.”
Alongside the panel discussion, the project ran four creative workshops, including a workshop at KUMEC’s annual GP conference. These included poetry sessions led by artists Arji Manuelpillai and Wendy French, a photography-based workshop by Marysa Dowling, and a collage workshop facilitated by artist Sarah Christie.
The workshops encouraged participants to explore themes such as identity, grief, stress, personal reflection and emotional wellbeing.
Feedback from participants suggested the sessions provided valuable opportunities for reflection and emotional expression.
“It was a really good experience. Also therapeutic,” said one participant. “It helped me to reflect about myself and who I want to be in the future.”
Another commented: “I am so glad I joined this workshop. It held such a safe space to think about grief, stress and uncertainty. Being able to have the space to be quietly, but openly creative has immediately increased my motivation and re-ignited my passions.”
Healthcare professionals also highlighted the practical value of creative approaches in supporting wellbeing. One GP and medical educator remarked:“As a GP and educator of doctors it is really helpful to consider a different way of supporting doctors to look after themselves.”
As part of the initiative, participants co-created a “collective menu” of mental health strategies. Suggestions included spending time in nature, exercising, listening to music, taking breaks outside work, creating art, texting a friend and simply pausing to breathe.
