In this conversation, Laura and award winning poet and performer Hollie McNish explore the profound connection between creativity, poetry, humour and wellbeing. They discuss the nature of creativity, the journey to becoming a poet, and the impact of poetry on mental health. Hollie shares her insights on the intersection of personal and political themes in her work, the importance of community in fostering creativity, and the role of humor in addressing serious issues. They also touch on the value of everyday creativity and the challenges faced in arts funding and accessibility. The conversation concludes with advice for aspiring creatives and reflections on the transformative power of art in people's lives. Listen to the end to hear Hollie reading from her new book Virgin.

A thoughtful and candid discussion about permission, persistence and the power of everyday creativity in public life.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Welcome and introduction to Hollie McNish's work and themes

02:00 - Childhood creativity and societal labels on arts and talent

05:00 - The importance of creative health in education and everyday life

08:00 - Personal stories and how poetry helps process grief, joy, and anger

12:00 - The journey from hobbyist to professional poet and challenges faced

15:00 - Using poetry as social commentary on societal issues like misogyny and xenophobia

20:00 - How writing about personal and political topics serves emotional and societal healing

25:00 - Explaining how poetry addresses feelings and personal experiences

30:00 - The role of humor and satire in tackling serious societal issues

35:00 - The political significance of content around topics like virginity, sex education, and menopause

40:00 - Community arts, policy challenges, and funding cuts: what's needed to improve access

45:00 - Encouraging people to find their creative outlets and access arts for health

50:00 - The cultural and economic benefits of national and international arts funding schemes

55:00 - Final thoughts on the power of everyday creativity and its impact on health and society

Resources & Links:

Hollie McNish's website

Virgin by Hollie McNish

Maternal Journal - support for new mothers

Professor Sir Michael Marmot's work on social determinants of health

Pride (Film about activism and community)

Social Media:

Hollie on Instagram

Creative Health Stories on Instagram

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In this commissioned episode of Creative Health Stories, host Laura Bailey explores an innovative initiative that brings professional dance and movement training into early years education. Early Moves is a partnership programme from Rambert Dance Company, Rambert Grades, and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) which trains nursery practitioners to embed creative movement into daily practice. Designed to support children from 0–5 years, this pioneering project uses dance to enhance physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development, contributing to school readiness and workforce wellbeing at scale.

Early Moves has been made possible through support from Arts Council England's National Lottery funded Place Partnership Fund, with additional support from the Granada Foundation and GMCA.

Movement as Development: Early movement isn’t just physical play — it’s tied to brain development, communication, balance, emotional regulation, and self-expression.

Empowering Practitioners: Nursery practitioners with little or no dance experience are trained to lead creative movement sessions confidently, enhancing their professional skills, wellbeing, and job satisfaction.

Real-world Impact: Practitioners share stories about boosts in children’s confidence, listening skills, social interaction, language development, and engagement, especially for those who are shy or have additional needs.

Strategic Partnership: Greater Manchester’s early years leaders invested in the programme to tackle low school readiness rates, particularly in more deprived areas, through a creative and holistic approach.

Daniel Fulvio, Director of Community Partnerships, Rambert

Hannah Kidd, Head of Education & Examinations, Rambert Grades

Chloe Senior, Early Years Dance Specialist

Anna Daley and Anne O’Connor, Evaluators, Primed for Life

Miriam Loxham, Senior Principal for Early Years and Faily Help, Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Julie McCarthy, Strategic Lead for Creative Health, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and NHS Greater Manchester

Early Years Practitioners: Pamela (Dream Big Little One), Sharon (St. Vincent’s), Holly (Safari Kindergarten), Tiffany (Clayton Tiddlywinks), Niamh (Buttercup Corner).

Rambert Dance Company

Website https://rambert.org.uk/

Instagram: @rambertdance

Rambert Grades

Website: https://www.rambertgrades.com/

Instagram: @rambertgrades

Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Website: https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk

Instagram: @greatermcr

Arts Council England

https://www.artscouncil.org.uk

Instagram: @aceagrams

Granada Foundation

Website: https://granadafoundation.org/

Image by Jack Thomson @j_a_c_k__t_h_o_m_s_o_n

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Creative Health Stories is a little different. Host Laura Bailey takes the podcast outdoors to the Whitstable seafront for a conversation with artist Liz Atkin.

Liz shares her lived experience of dermatillomania (compulsive skin picking disorder) and how charcoal drawing became both a recovery tool and a powerful creative practice. Together they explore how creativity can transform personal health and support others in clinical and community settings.

It’s a candid and inspiring conversation about vulnerability, play, and the therapeutic potential of creativity.

Key Points:

• Liz’s journey from theatre and dance to charcoal drawing.
• Using creativity to refocus compulsion and anxiety.
• The role of play and flow in improving wellbeing.
• Workshops with NHS staff and the importance of creative breaks.
• How creative health programmes face challenges in the current NHS context.

Links:

• Liz Atkin: lizatkin.com
• Breathe Arts Health Research: breatheahr.org
• Horsebridge Arts Centre, Whitstable: horsebridge.org.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.