معرفی
Clive Parkinson serves as Director of Arts for Health at Manchester Metropolitan University, leading the UK's longest established arts and health unit. He holds the position of Associate Professor (Reader) at the Manchester School of Art, focusing on Arts, Health and Social Justice. Parkinson also maintains a Visiting Fellowship at the University of New South Wales and has developed significant partnerships across Greater Manchester, the UK, and internationally including Lithuania and Japan.
His educational background includes a degree in Independent Studies from Lancaster University where his research focused on the relationship between creativity, culture, the arts and health. Parkinson is a doctor of philosophy with extensive experience bridging academic research and practical application in the arts and health field.
Parkinson's research interests center on the transformative potential of arts in health contexts, with particular emphasis on public health, wellbeing, social justice, and inequalities. His work explores how creative practices can address mental health, dementia care, recovery from addiction, and community wellbeing. He has pioneered approaches that connect arts practice with health policy development and implementation, notably contributing to the National Charter for Arts, Health and Wellbeing.
Analysis of Parkinson's recent publications reveals a strong focus on dementia care through arts interventions, health inequalities, and recovery-oriented practices. His work consistently bridges arts practice with rigorous research methodology, demonstrating how visual arts, performance, and creative writing can transform health outcomes. The publications show an evolving trajectory from foundational work on arts and health policy toward more specialized applications in dementia care, workplace wellbeing, and cross-cultural contexts.
- Enterprise Curriculum Fellowship (2009)
- International Leadership in Arts and Health Award (2011)
- HM Treasury funded Invest to Save: Arts in Health Project (2003-2007)
- AHRC/ESRC funded Connected Communities research project (2013-2017)
- Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation funding for Osaka partnership
Parkinson has supervised numerous students through MA units in Arts, Public Health and Wellbeing and is developing a standalone Masters in Arts and Health. His grant portfolio includes significant funding from HM Treasury, Arts Council England, Grudtvig, and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation. He has delivered training for artists and health professionals internationally and served as chair of the National Alliance for Arts, Health and Wellbeing (2012-2018).
As Director of Arts for Health, Parkinson leads the Manchester Institute for Arts, Health & Social Change, a multi-organization research center across Greater Manchester. He collaborates with Socialiniai Meno Projektai in Lithuania and has established the Manchester & Osaka Arts & Health Partnership. His work bridges the arts and cultural sector alongside health and social care to radically reimagine an arts and health agenda for the 21st century.
