East Sussex Picked for a National Creative Health Scheme

East Sussex County Council is to appoint a Creative Health Lead, a new post to get more people into arts and cultural activities that help their health, after the county was chosen for a national programme that pays part of the salary for two years. The council said ring-fenced public health money will cover the rest of the cost. (East Sussex County Council, National programme brings creative health boost for East Sussex, 11 November 2026)

The post is a county one, so it does not reach Brighton and Hove, which has its own city council. It does cover the East Sussex towns just over the city boundary, Peacehaven, Telscombe, Newhaven and Lewes among them, and the council named the coast and its most deprived areas as the places it most wants to help.

Six areas in the latest round

The National Centre for Creative Health, which runs the Creative Health Leads Programme, announced the third group of areas on 5 November: Birmingham, Blackpool, Dorset, East Sussex, Essex, and North and South of Tees. They join 12 areas named in March and May 2026, so 18 health and care systems in England now have the support, towards the programme’s aim of up to 30 Creative Health Lead roles. The programme is funded by Arts Council England and The Baring Foundation. (National Centre for Creative Health, Six more health and care systems join the Creative Health Leads Programme, 5 November 2026)

Each area gets structured learning and development, evaluation, and a two-year subsidy towards the lead’s role, the centre said. East Sussex will also feed into national learning on how creative health can support prevention, reduce inequalities and strengthen neighbourhood health, according to the county council.

The council has not said when the job will be advertised, where the lead will be based or which activities will be funded first.

What the council says

Cllr Mark Estcourt, the county council’s lead member for adult social care and health, said: “Getting people involved in artistic and cultural activities can have a profound impact on their life. Evidence shows that it can improve health, reduce medication use and GP visits, and tackle loneliness.

“Being selected for the programme will help us offer more creative activities to support the health and wellbeing of even more residents, build community resilience, support our voluntary sector and create new job opportunities.”

He added: “Having a dedicated person to coordinate and improve our creative health offer could also open up new funding opportunities that could help us tackle inequalities, particularly in our coastal and most deprived areas.”

Darrell Gale, the county’s director of public health, told the national centre: “Having the guidance and support from the National Centre for Creative Health will hugely support the East Sussex system to help to further grow and deepen our Creative Health offer, ensuring that more residents are supported to maintain and improve their health and wellbeing via creative health endeavours.”

Who the lead will work with

The new lead will work with the Culture East Sussex board, a network of public bodies, cultural organisations and individuals that the county council hosts to support the county’s cultural sector.

Its chair, Stewart Drew, chief executive of the De La Warr Pavilion, and vice chair, Julia Roberts, chief executive of Culture Shift, said: “We are delighted that East Sussex has been chosen to benefit from the Creative Health Leads in Systems Programme and we know that this news will be welcomed by our sector colleagues.

“East Sussex already benefits from a wealth of activity in the field of creative health and this funding will ensure that there is continued growth and development in this area to improve health outcomes across our communities.”

What it means for you

If you live in Peacehaven, Telscombe, Newhaven, Lewes or elsewhere in East Sussex, the lead’s job is to widen the arts and cultural activities on offer for health and wellbeing, working through the voluntary and cultural groups already running them. Nothing changes yet: the post still has to be filled.

If you live in Brighton, Hove or Portslade, this post does not cover you.