Pavee Point Traveller & Roma Centre was delighted to take part in an event to showcase Traveller arts and health and help discuss a future for such initiatives. The event was held on the grounds of the Irish Museum of Modern Art and exhibited arts and health work carried out by Travellers and Traveller organisations under the Traveller Wellbeing Through Creativity Pilot Scheme.
Photo: Tommy Clancy
Martin Collins, Co Director, Pavee Point Traveller & Roma Centre speaking on a panel at the event said: “Today’s event is really important. We need to find ways to have long term sustainable projects that create the conditions for Travellers to research, document and engage with our own cultural expression and identity.
“One of the benefits of this, as we see today, is the benefits that arts can bring to Traveller mental health and well-being and Travellers’ sense of pride in the face of ongoing racism and discrimination.”
Photo: Tommy Clancy
The Traveller community experiences significant mental health inequalities with a suicide rate 6 times the national average and 11% of all Traveller deaths by suicide. (All Ireland Traveller Health Study 2010).
Photo: Tommy Clancy
Positive engagement and leadership from Travellers through this Creativity programme highlighted issues related to Traveller wellbeing such as acknowledgement of Traveller culture and accommodation issues.
Traveller Wellbeing through Creativity is a programme from the HSE and partners in the Creative Ireland Programme, the Department of Health (Healthy Ireland Programme) and the Arts Council. The meeting today sought to explore how learning from the two year initiative can be scaled up and mainstreamed into the future. A report on this will be produced by early 2025 through this partnership.
Speaking at the showcase event HSE CEO Bernard Gloster said: “I would like to thank the participants in this programme for taking the innovative opportunity to engage with their health and wellbeing in a creative way.
“The HSE have been working in partnership with Travellers around their health for many years and require partner support from the likes of the Arts Council and Creative Ireland to enable this cross sectoral work that is made possible and on display here today.”
The Traveller Wellbeing through Creativity pilot initiative was launched in March 2022, and over 2 years provided funding of €450,000 to a range of Travellers and Traveller organisations who delivered creative arts projects in the Traveller community. Further information
Photo: Tommy Clancy