Well-making: Understanding what works from lived experience

The importance of looking after our mental health has been a prominent topic of discussion nationally, regionally and locally since the United Kingdom experienced increased levels of stress and uncertainty caused and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. People working in the arts, culture and health sectors – such as health professionals, artist practitioners, academics, charities and volunteer groups – are concerned with how the pandemic has adversely and disproportionately impacted vulnerable members of society. Encouragingly, invested groups and stakeholders in non-clinical practice have reported on the successes of everyday creativity in the form of psychosocial programmes that tackle social isolation by using the arts and culture as non-clinical opportunities to improve well-being. This article focuses on the Lived Experience Network (LENs) to highlight how involving experts by experience in research provides deeper understanding of what works and what does not when co-creating meaningful everyday creativity to counter social isolation.