Arts engagement benefits young and old | Letters

Paula Briggs says creative experiences help children feel connected, empowered and engaged, while Nicky Goulder calls for more equal access to creative opportunities across society

The reported health benefits of engaging with art, discussed in your editorial (The Guardian view on public health and the arts: the all-singing, all-dancing science of ageing, 12 May) should come as no surprise to anyone working with children and young people. The government needs to get serious about wellbeing, school attendance and children’s health, and be much braver in joining up policy across education, culture and health.

At AccessArt, the UK charity I founded nearly 30 years ago to support visual arts teaching and learning, we hear repeatedly from teachers that creative experiences help children feel connected, empowered and engaged. Yet the arts have been undervalued in many schools for years, resulting in pressure to narrow the curriculum and prioritise measurable outcomes over meaningful engagement.