The Context
Citi works tirelessly to provide consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial services and products. They strive to create the best outcomes for their clients and customers with financial ingenuity that leads to solutions that are simple, creative and responsible.
Arts Care is a progressive arts and health organisation, founded in 1991 and based in Northern Ireland. They deliver a wide range of arts programmes and projects across all Health and Social Care Trusts; the organisation believes in the benefits of creativity to well-being, making all forms of art accessible to patients, clients, residents and staff in health, social and community care settings.
As part of World Mental Health Day, Citi was seeking a way to effectively engage and support their 2700+ staff, supporting employees’ mental health and well-being within the context of a fast-paced work environment. Arts & Business NI worked closely with Citi Networks to understand what they wanted to achieve, which led to the introduction of Citi to Arts Care during 2019 to help develop initiatives to deliver on this goal…
The Solution
The partners agreed to a two-strand approach, one of which was the creation of a workplace choir, under the direction of Keith Acheson, which meets weekly and has 40+ members. Singing has multiple benefits, including increasing communication between people within a team, breaking down barriers between departments and relieving tension.
In a second strand, to mark World Mental Health Day 2019, Arts Care artists facilitated pop-up art workshops in Citi’s canteen. Employees were invited to take part in a ‘drop in’ art activity, including watercolour painting and screen printing. The individual artworks created by Citi staff were combined into two large scale collaborative pieces now proudly displayed in Citi’s foyer, reinforcing key messages around supporting mental health and well-being at work and at home.
“I thoroughly enjoy singing and usually spend all of my lunch at my desk. The Citi choir allows me to do something for myself and spend some time each week away from my desk, to enjoy something I am passionate about but also provides the opportunity to network with other Citi colleagues.”
“I have been looking for an activity to take up to help with networking and getting to know other people at Citi and this is something I enjoy doing. I have also been looking for a choir to join for some time.”
“Enjoy singing and thought it would be a good de-stresser as well as a good opportunity to meet new people.”
“I have always loved music and loved singing in a choir but unfortunately don’t have much time in my personal life. Citi Belfast always has great networks and committees on the go, and its brilliant we now have a music related one!”
Strong positive staff feedback made it clear that the partnership with Arts Care successfully enabled Citi to nurture confidence, relieve stress, and improve health and well-being amongst its employees, sustaining a stronger, happier and competent workforce.
“Through our partnership with Arts Care we created a World Mental Health Day event to engage employees and promote positive mental health in the work environment. The pop-up art studios and Citi Belfast Choir project enabled our employees to access their creativity in the workplace, and provided them with the opportunity to enhance their professional development through learning key creative and life skills.”
Leigh Meyer, Managing Director, Citi Belfast Site Head
“Arts Care is an organisation dedicated to supporting the Mental Health and Well-being of service users and healthcare staff in healthcare settings. Increasingly however we are outreaching into workplaces engaging employees with their personal creativity to support their mental health and well-being and reduce work induced stress and anxiety.
The inspiring Arts & Business partnership involving Citi Bank, Arts & Business and Arts Care opened a wonderful opportunity for our Arts Care Artists to set up ‘drop in’ art tables in the canteen area in Citi Bank on World Mental Health Day 2019. It was so encouraging to see so many staff visiting the tables and participate in making their own art. Some of the main themes to come from conversations with participants on the day focused on feeling ‘more relaxed’, ‘less stressed,’ ‘more motivated to go back to work in the afternoon’, ‘high levels of enjoyment and fun with colleagues,’ all contributing factors to support mental health and well-being and foster a happy and healthy workforce.
Thank you to Maeve and colleagues at Arts & Business for setting up this great opportunity to work with Citi Bank and Helen McKee. The creative synergy of Arts and Business partnerships has much to offer our communities in terms of supporting their Health and Well-being. As far as I am concerned, no better place to find the dancer, singer, poet, musician, actor in you than in your workplace. Thanks Arts & Business again for making this synergy happen!”
Dr Jenny Elliott Arts Care CEO/ Artistic Director Arts Care
