Culture isn’t a luxury – it helps solve our most complex challenges.
If you walked down the high street, asking people about their public service priorities, they would probably cite the NHS, education and our care sector among their most pressing concerns.
Arts and culture may not be front of mind. They are often viewed as a luxury; something to be enjoyed once basic needs are met. But when we look at creativity differently, as a way of solving complex problems, its value in supporting public services becomes clear.
At Artlink, we work across education, health and social care. We see the impact of creative activity: it is a uniting force for positive change in complex social circumstance.
Neurodiverse young people – or those awaiting diagnostic assessments, educational support, or experiencing anxiety – often fall through the cracks of our education system, resulting in non-attendance at school. Creative interventions can deliver simple and affordable results.
We work with primary and secondary pupils in these circumstances, tapping into their interests ranging from astronomy to music composition; from cooking to drone flying. We work with artists and practitioners who help them tap into their own creative responses and reignite an interest in learning and belonging. These interventions have improved school attendance, attainment, boosted self-confidence, improved mental wellbeing, all while strengthening identity and community connection.
This work is transformative for the individuals and critical to enabling these young people to live productive lives, contributing to our society and economy – demonstrating that art and culture are tools of democracy and equality, not elitist luxuries.
The culture sector has creative solutions to the complex problems we face. This is why we are supporting Culture Counts’ call for a Culture Act to be introduced in the next Scottish Parliamentary term. Cultural improves our health, care, education and more, but we are lacking the necessary statutory framework to unlock greater impacts for all of Scotland.
We know public services are under pressure, but this is why we need to think differently. Investing in creativity doesn’t add pressure to the system; it helps relieve it, making public services resilient, improving working conditions, and ultimately contributing to a stronger economy.
Kara Christine, CEO
KMA | Alan Faulds | Speaking Volumes, Malmö Konsthall
KMA artist Alan Faulds took his darkly comic, monochrome world to the international stage with his first-ever trip abroad for Speaking Volumes, a group show curated by Lucy Smalley at Malmö Konsthall, Sweden. His bold wall paintings — one spanning the gallery on a monumental scale — filled the space with sharp humour and brilliance.
At the opening, Alan led a live performance workshop with the Artlink team and artists from Inuti Atelier, creating incredible moments of laughter, movement, and shared creativity. He continues to collaborate with James McLardy and Julie Verhoeven, developing work that blurs the lines between art, fashion, and satire.
Find out more about KMA by visiting the website, or by clicking on the image below.
Image courtesy of Malmö Konsthall.
