Communities across Chelmsford have taken bold new steps to put creativity at the heart of health and wellbeing, thanks to an innovative grant-making pilot backed by £50,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

In January 2025, over 40 local residents came together to co-design a series of grassroots projects linking creativity with social prescribing—a growing approach that connects people to creative and social activities to improve mental and physical health. 18 powerful pilot projects, delivered by and for local people, engaged more than 20,000 people both online and in person.

This pioneering programme was led by Culture Chelmsford in partnership with Chelmsford CVS, with funding support from Chelmsford City Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The initiative was rooted in a new approach to community-led grant making. Every project aimed to explore how creativity—from street art to storytelling—could actively improve wellbeing.

 

Highlights from the pilot projects included:

• Chelmsford Creative Collective co-created a striking mural at Anglia Ruskin University working with older adults in the community, blending engagement, street art and academic research.
• Ideas Hub Chelmsford launched new inclusive walking trails, Discover Chelmsford to support diverse communities to develop a sense of connection to the city and improve physical and mental health.
• Bubu’s Community Hub ran a series of vibrant events—from Bhangra for All to World Storytelling Day—bringing people together to eat, move, create, and share.

 

Many participants shared that the pilots had enabled them to explore new ways to be creative and how this could better support their ongoing wellbeing. Feedback from participants who attended the sharing event in January focused on how useful it had been to feed into other people’s projects, make local connections to resolve issues, and generate new creative opportunities.

The grant programme was one of a series of recommendations from a new piece of research commissioned by Culture Chelmsford into existing social prescribing opportunities within Chelmsford. The primary research question for the report was: “What does existing social prescribing for culture and health across Chelmsford look like and how could it be strengthened?” Working with Anglia Ruskin University, the research was commissioned to achieve one of the goals of the district’s 2023 Cultural Strategy. The strategy sets out a bold vision for Chelmsford: empowering communities to shape Chelmsford’s creative future while boosting local pride and wellbeing.

Claire Gevaux, Chief Executive of Culture Chelmsford, said:

“We believe creativity belongs to everyone—and these pilots prove it can also be a powerful tool for wellbeing. Whether you’re dancing in your kitchen or joining a community art project, the benefits are real. We’re proud that Chelmsford’s communities are leading the way in showing how creative health can be co-designed, inclusive and impactful.”

Councillor Natacha Dudley, Chelmsford City Council Cabinet Member for an Active Chelmsford and Chair of the Livewell Health and Wellbeing Group, said:

“Chelmsford City Council is pleased to have supported this project to secure funding for local communities to experiment with social prescribing initiatives.

“We’re still learning about the power of social prescribing in creating healthier and happier communities, and these pilot projects run by Culture Chelmsford and Chelmsford CVS have been a critical step in exploring the benefits of this approach for Chelmsford. Participant feedback has really highlighted how successfully communities can come together to be creative collectively, and most importantly, the real positive impact this can have on our wellbeing.”

 

For more information on the projects and the Cultural Strategy please see www.culturechelmsford.org.uk