Just under a week ago I attended a symposium at University of Bolton called “Performing Arts and Health.” The day long event celebrated a new research lab opening at the university which looks at the wider role of the arts in the the medical profession.
I met a lady called Jessica who works across theatre and health care and is writing a phd on (among other things) how theatre practice can release trauma stored in the body. http://www.jessicabockler.co.uk/. I must contact her soon and see if she wants to meet for a coffee.
During the afternoon I also took part in some workshops, when I made a collage and wrote a poem.
To complete the poem our workshop leader Jackie Hagan, who has been facilitating writing workshops in psychiatric hospitals for seven years, asked us to make a list of things that shine. Here’s what I put.
pennies
foil sweet wrappers
the sun
the eyes of a kind person
milk bottle tops
diamonds
polished silver
stars
the reflection of sunlight on water
glitter
fire
steel
