Croydon’s Public Health Report Champions Creativity as a Cure for Inequality

Croydon’s newly published Director of Public Health Annual Report has made a bold case for creativity as a vital tool in tackling health inequalities across the borough.

Titled “Creating a Healthier Croydon”, the latest report, launched during national Creativity & Wellbeing week in May 2025, focuses on the transformative power of creative health: the use of arts, culture, and heritage to improve health and wellbeing.

The report, led by Acting Deputy Director of Public Health Dr Jack Bedeman, draws on local case studies and national evidence to show how creative activities, from music and dance to gardening and storytelling, can prevent illness, support recovery, and build stronger, more connected communities.

“Maybe the arts aren’t a distraction from the real issues. Maybe the arts are the answer. I believe there isn’t a single challenge we can’t tackle more effectively with creativity.” Dr Jack Bedeman, Acting Deputy Director of Public Health, Croydon Council

The report highlights Croydon’s success as London Borough of Culture 2023, which engaged over 360,000 people and demonstrated measurable mental health benefits. It also outlines stark health inequalities in the borough, where men in the most deprived areas live 9.2 years less than those in the wealthiest.

Creative health is presented not just as a cultural asset, but as a cost-effective public health strategy. Initiatives like Rhyme Time for toddlers, Breathe Melodies for Mums for postnatal depression, and Men’s Sheds for isolated older men are shown to improve mental health, reduce loneliness, and even delay the onset of chronic conditions like dementia.

The report calls for urgent action across sectors – from health and education to local businesses – to embed creativity into care pathways, invest in community-led arts and simplify how success is measured.

See what the Council is already doing to support Creative Health – from community grants to free sector training – on our Creative Health pages.

You can download and read the Report in full, along with the accompanying Snapshot booklet, featuring local case studies, here.