Christopher Bailey’s Visit to Ukraine

From June 18 to June 25, 2024, at the invitation of our project, Christopher Bailey, Head of the “Arts and Health” department at the World Health Organization, visited Ukraine.

Christopher Bailey is the founder of the Healing Arts Initiative, which researches the impact of art on health and brings together scientists from around the world. He is also the co-founder of the Jameel Arts & Health Lab.

The lab focuses on researching the evidence base for the health benefits of art, establishing a global network of research centers to study effective practices and the fundamental science behind how art can enhance physical, mental, and social well-being.

Having received education from Columbia and Oxford Universities, as well as the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Bailey transitioned from a career as a professional actor and playwright to joining the Rockefeller Foundation as a research manager. From there, he was recruited by the WHO, where he led the Health Informatics Department and later the Online Communications team before initiating the Arts and Health program. As an actor, Bailey has also performed his dramatic monologues “Stage Four: Cancer and the Imagination” and “Vanishing Point: A Journey into Blindness and Perception” for wide audiences.

The central idea of his work is to enhance the WHO’s definition of health, which posits that health is not simply the absence of disease and infirmity, but the attainment of the highest level of physical, mental, and social well-being.

From June 18 to June 21, Christopher visited Kyiv and held a series of meetings on the implementation of trauma-informed state policies and the overall potential for rehabilitation and reintegration through artistic practices.

Specifically, he met with the mental health department team and Mr. Aron Aregay, Acting Head of WHO Health Programs in Ukraine, with the First Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine, Serhiy Dubrov, with Acting Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, Rostyslav Karandeev, and with the team from the NGO “Insha Osvita.”

Christopher also visited the Mental Health Coordination Center, the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, and the Kyiv National Academic Operetta Theater, where he met with director Ivan Uryvskyi.

During his stay in Kyiv, Christopher also participated in the Summer School on Trauma-Informed Art Practices, where he took part in the discussion “Responding to War Trauma through Artistic Practices” and in the round table “Trauma-Informed Governance: Implementing Practice into Policy.”

From June 22 to June 26, Christopher Bailey visited Lviv, where he performed his solo piece “Strangers in Time” at the Maria Zankovetska National Drama Theater.

In this dramatic monologue, Christopher Bailey weaves together personal family history, current events, neurology and aesthetics, to explore how trans generational trauma manifests itself in peoples lives, and how the arts are uniquely suited to help heal its wounds, and transform communities.

The proceeds from ticket sales for the solo performance were directed to support the activities of the Unbroken Center, the National Rehabilitation Center.

In Lviv, Christopher Bailey met with the city’s mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, and visited the city council.

He also held meetings with Bozhena Pelenska, Director of the Jam Factory Art Center, visited the Lviv Culture Hub, Potocki Palace, Hnat Khotkevych Palace, the Ukrainian Catholic University, and the Institute of Cultural Strategy. At the Institute, an open discussion with Christopher took place on the topic “Trauma-Informed Practice: What It Is and How to Work with It,” featuring Veronika Sklyarova, Director of the NGO Art Dot, and Natalia Bunda, Commissioner for Culture at the Lviv City Council and Head of the Unbroken Art initiative.