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Background: : People with dementia are often excluded from research due to ethical concerns and a reliance upon conventional research methods which focus on recall and verbal expression., Methods: Creative, sensory and embodied research methods typically involve techniques that conceptually bring individuals "into" the research, thus affording an expressive capacity that traditional methods do not. This paper details a "method story", presenting three interlinked cycles of study used to explore the significance of clothing to people with dementia living in a care home. The studies drew upon arts-based and design led practices. This paper details the methods used and the opportunities that they presented when exploring the lived experience of dementia., Results and Conclusions: Creative, sensory and embodied approaches enabled people with dementia to engage with research, supporting imaginative, spontaneous and flexible participation. This supports the use of novel methods when undertaking research with people who have dementia.

Aims: This study aimed to explore the experiences of a group of adults with a history of substance misuse taking part in a novel, multi-centre cultural intervention: Creative Conversations, including the impact of the project on participants' mental health., Methods: A qualitative approach was used including a Visual Matrix and observation in order to explore the experiences of 10 participants recruited from drug and alcohol services., Results: The results indicated positive impacts on mental health including a growing sense of competence, engagement, social integration and a sense that the project provided therapeutic support that translated into integrating creative activities into their everyday habits., Conclusions: Cultural interventions like Creative Conversations demonstrate positive impacts on mental health, engaging individuals who may find it difficult to access services such as those with substance misuse issues, and play an important role in sustaining and promoting mental wellbeing in the community. Despite positive findings, projects such as this require adequate staff training and sustained funding in order to provide wider benefits to those with mental health problems.

Creative outputs engage the public and can be used to share research. This paper reports on public engagement activities that were part of the research project Dementia and Imagination (D&I). We found that artwork and creative activities effectively engaged a range of audiences and challenged negative ideas about dementia. For the project team, public engagement developed relationships with collaborators and connected the research to different community settings, influencing future programmes of work. Further work could explore public engagement in diverse settings to assess which approaches are effective in maximising research value and wider community benefit.

Background : There is currently no consensus regarding the definition and description of arts interventions for people with dementia. Developing a common language of classification will encourage reflection on artistic practice, support the evaluation and improvement of arts interventions, and enable their benefits to be communicated more effectively. Methods : Using a qualitative framework derived from taxonomy and realist methodology, a literature review was undertaken to identify what key principles underpin arts interventions. This analysis was complemented by focus groups and workshops incorporating the lived experience of carers, artists, practitioners and care staff. Results : Nine principles were identified as elements present in person-centred arts interventions for people with dementia: Animation, Transcendence, Selfhood, Humanity, Expression, Connection, Possibility, Involvement and Awareness. Conclusions : It is possible to identify the component parts of arts interventions for people with dementia. These principles form an empirical basis for understanding how arts interventions work, while still respecting their individual nature.

Background This paper reports on the learning from a 12-month interdisciplinary project (Dementia, Arts and Wellbeing Network- DA&WN) and its activities. These featured a series of four workshops on dance, visual art, theatre and music. The network was comprised of clinicians, academics, creative practitioners and people with lived experience of dementia and their carers. Methods The workshops were designed to draw out tacit knowledge about well-being in dementia through an action-based learning and research approach. This included, guided activities combined with reflective group discussions, visual documentation and baseline and follow-up questionnaires. Results Outcomes included new collaborations between group members, changes in creative practice for artists, and active and sustained involvement of people living with dementia and their carers in similar opportunities and participatory research. Conclusion This participatory and inclusive workshop model should be considered to develop and enhance interdisciplinary activities in dementia care.