After a Fine Art Degree, teaching art & design, and travelling around the world, I trained and qualified in Occupational Therapy. Subsequently working at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) and from 2002 in a new role as Arts Manager I developed and implemented the Southwark Arts and Mental Health Strategy. Around 2012, I was commissioned to lead the consultation, co-production and implementation of the first Trust-wide Arts Strategy as Head of Arts Strategy. Over those years, I coordinated and supported an extensive portfolio of multi-partnership cultural projects, for, and with, people living with mental health problems and dementia, including the Art in Mind public programme at Tate Modern and Journeys of Appreciation Programme (JOAP) museum visits for older adult inpatients. For this work I am recognised as a pioneer in the report Understanding Creative Health in London (Greater London Authority, London Arts and Health & Dr Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt 2024).
From 2017 I embarked on a freelance career as a consultant and evaluator harnessing knowledge and experience and my strong network, working beyond South London, in various parts of England such as East Anglia, Lancashire and Sussex.
Currently I am a Co-investigator in the AHRC funded research programme Coastal Community and Creative Health research programme (a national partnership tackling health inequalities in coastal communities) https://coastalcch.bristol.ac.uk/, developing a creative public engagement programme in Blackpool with cultural, civic, health, and education partners. I am also part of a consultancy team undertaking a strategic review building sustainability for the Restoration Trust (funded by NLHF), which is an award-winning heritage and wellbeing charity https://restorationtrust.org.uk/
Last year I was commissioned by Historic England to undertake a research report on the use of heritage in tackling loneliness in older men in 2024. From 2025 I have been co-evaluating the Living Histories Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Heads On Charity oral history project. https://www.headsoncharity.org/where-your-money-goes/398/index.html
Between 2021-24 I coordinated the Kirkham Heritage, Health & Wellbeing programme, part of the Historic England High Street Heritage Action Zone initiative, in collaboration with Fylde Council, Kirkham Town Council, the Phoenix Rising Partnership, and other stakeholders. The programme was a finalist in the Best Heritage and Wellbeing Award 2024 International Social Prescribing conference 2024: https://www.kirkhamfutures.org/plans/health-and-wellbeing-programme
My previous consultancy work includes:
- Advising the Reconnect cultural prescribing network in Oxfordshire led by the Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM), University of Oxford 2022-23
- Co-evaluating the Being Brent Heritage for health and wellbeing project for Brent Museum and Archives with Toby Williamson and Dr Eva Cyhlarova 2021-22
- Evaluation of the All Aboard project and creation of a toolkit for the sector. Reconnecting and building resilience through collection exploration with isolated groups, Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG) and Age Exchange 2021
- Co-researcher on the study: The impact of COVID-19 on arts and health charities: Case study Healing Expressive and Recovery Arts HERA Brighton, Research Report, April 2022 by Dr Aristea Fotopoulou, Helen Shearn & Claire Warrington, University of Brighton
- Evaluation and impact report on the Support Hub for artists and creative practitioners at Arts & Health Hub (additional input from Daisy Danziger and Eve Loren) 2021
I regularly continue my professional development and have presented a wide range of creative health work at national and international conferences. I hold a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) in Arts Management and Policy, a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) in Occupational Therapy, and a BA Hons in Fine Art.
Helen Shearn 