International Research Alliance

Professor Vicky Karkou, Director of RCAW, is a member of the International Research Alliance for arts therapies. This alliance, directed by Dr Nisha Sajnanum supports and progresses doctoral and postdoctoral research activity in the field of arts therapies. It links universities and communities around the globe, paying particular attention to reaching out to academic networks in resource poor countries.

Members are from New York, Drexel and Lesley universities in the USA, Alanus and Heidelberg universities in Germany, University of Haifa in Israel, the University of Melbourne in Australia and Edge Hill University in the UK.

Erasmus+ project partners

• Università degli Studi di Roma ‘Foro Italico’
• University Medical Centre, Utrecht
• Incontradonna
• ISESIstituto Europeo per lo sviluppo socio economico
• Bulgarian Sports Development Association, Sofia
• Klaipeda Region Women Information Centre, Lithuania

Edge Hill led the pilot of this European funded research project at Merseyside Dance Initiative in Liverpool, which involved the delivery of a sixteen week therapeutic dance programme designed for women who are in recovery from breast cancer, aiming to support both their physical and psychological health. A free training weekend was also provided for dancers and exercise professionals who were interested in delivering the programme independently. A publication on the project is underway.

Riga Stradins University, Latvia

In 2014 Prof Vicky Karkou was awarded the title of Honorary Doctor of Medicine from Riga Stradins University, Latvia for her services in supporting the development of arts psychotherapies in the country. Today the universities continue to foster their relationship, sharing knowledge, and collaborating on both events and research projects.

New York University

The Research Centre for Arts and Wellbeing enjoys a close collaborative relationship with New York University, sharing knowledge, working on research projects and publications together and facilitating network opportunities and collaborative events.

Through this partnership, students in Edge Hill University have also benefitted greatly. In March 2018 the university’s resident dance company 3^rd Edge had the opportunity to travel to New York to perform at the US launch of the Oxford Handbook of Dance and Wellbeing.

The event was hosted at New York University by the Drama Therapy Programme, Dr Nisha Sajnani and Professor Vicky Karkou. Edge Hill University students closed the event with a performance of So Love…, choreographed by renowned dance artist, Mathieu Geffré.