Cardiff and Vale University Health Board has been awarded £28,600 as part of funding made available by Arts and Minds, a new Baring Foundation and Arts Council of Wales programme.

The programme aims to promote better mental health in Wales and is supported by the National Lottery. Cardiff & Vale Health Charity and Arts for Health and Wellbeing programme underpinned the Health Board's proposal.

The Arts and Minds programme has been built on strong alliances between the NHS in Wales, the Baring Foundation and the Arts Council of Wales. The seven Health Boards in Wales, including Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, will work with artists and organisations to come up with ways of improving the lives of people with mental health challenges.

Through the Cardiff & Vale Health Charity and the Cardiff & Vale Arts for Health and Wellbeing programme, the Health Board will invest the funding in creative activities to support adult mental health. The funding will help bolster the Recovery & Wellbeing College's arts offering, allowing the college to expand on courses that support recovery through creativity and art. The funding will also support the availability of movement and music activities in the Neuropsychiatry Department, helping engage some of the Health Boards most vulnerable patients.

Simone Joslyn, Head of Cardiff & Vale Health Charity and the Arts for Health and Wellbeing programme, said: "We are delighted to be awarded the funding through the Arts and Minds programme established by Baring Foundation and the Arts Council of Wales. Through projects funded by the Health Charity and our arts programme, we know first-hand that arts and creativity have an extremely positive impact on mental health. This funding is going to be instrumental in allowing the Health Board to enhance its offering of creative outlets that will ultimately support people with their recovery.

"On behalf of the Health Board I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Arts and Minds programme for awarding us this funding. We look forward to working with artists and arts organisations on a number of exciting projects."

To keep up-to-date with the projects supported by the Arts and Mind programme, follow Cardiff & Vale Health Charity and the Arts for Health and Wellbeing programme on social media.