On 1st September 2007 Dr Ruth Evans, a GP from Wallsend, emailed Matt Henderson, a Director of an arts development company in Wallsend, saying she wanted to be able to prescribe performing arts instead of medication to some of her patients and that there was very little to get involved in.

A steering group was developed, and the idea pitched around to get some feedback, and we began our first series of workshops, employing high quality local artists to deliver community sessions. We evaluate the workshops to show the benefits to health and we still retain the same values and employ only high quality artists, and the workshops are still continuing and have now spread to several locations.

Since 2007 we have developed a number of other projects, focussing on dementia, emotional resilience, patient involvement and improving the interface and infrastructure between health and the arts.

Dr Ruth Evans: A local GP with a massive love of the arts, Ruth works tirelessly encouraging health professionals to get involved and inspired by arts. She has sat in the consulting room for over 15 years, but has always had an interest in service redesign- from the early days of Locality Commissioning through to Practice Based Commissioning and now GP federations. Two years as medical director of North Tyneside Primary Care Trust (PCT), followed by 3 years in professional performance (bad doctors), then 1 year as PCT mental health lead, have honed those commissioning skills, without losing a grounded clinical edge. She loves cake only a little bit more than she loves tea, unless it's morning, when only coffee will do (milk no sugar, thanks).

Matthew Henderson: Not really knowing how to descibe his occupation, Matthew enjoys pretty well anything as long as he can cycle to it. His skills with project development and analysis help to realise his vision of "making cool things happen". A persistent manner has served him well so far, and increasingly adds to his charming character as his mid-thirties appear on the not-too-distant horizon.