Local arts creators and participants are to be the focus of a new research project being conducted by a team of visiting medical students from the University of Western Sydney.

The group of five students, currently in their fourth year of study, are in Lismore for a year on a placement in the field of mental health.

The project comes under supervision of three local doctors who are affiliated with the University of Western Sydney - Dr Natalie Edmiston, Dr Tien Khoo and Dr Andrew Binns.

This research project, titled Covid-19 and its impact on wellbeing and service delivery, is a component of the Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery degree.

Research is part of fourth year medicine and the mental health placement for these students is just one field they will cover amongst oncology, surgery, GP and Aboriginal health and haemotology.

Rory Sinclair, Sanju Sonnadara, Ruban Sivakumar, Tushar Vashisht and Jeyvin Nandakumaran arrived in town about 6 weeks ago and went straight into isolation so they have had some extra focussed time to prepare to launch their study on the good folk of Lismore.

“As part of the course you can apply for a rural placement, in either Lismore or Bathurst, from July through to May,” Sanju said.

Sanju explained that the criteria to participate in the survey include community members over 18 who have had a recent interaction with the arts, “either as an arts user or creator of arts.”

Andrew Binns, well known local GP and arts ambassador, told the Lismore App he has been involved with the group of students since the project was put forward by them a year ago.

“I was impressed with the idea because it’s an important topic and it’s become even more important now that we’re in lockdown,” he said.

“As a GP I’ve never seen so much anxiety and depression as I’m seeing now, I’ve been working in the area more than 40 years,” Dr Binns said.

“Arts fulfill an important role, as does sport, in keeping mentally healthy. When you take these things away, it has an impact. We’re all feeling it in some way or other,” Dr Binns added.

Lismore resident and choreographer/performer Phil Blackman told Lismore App that “Covid has affected his pleasure as an audience member but also his reference point as an artist.”

“When you see other people’s work you have that reflection. Sharing your own work enables a richer artistic experience but when there’s restrictions people can feel like they’re in an artistic drought,” Phil explained.

Phil is a long-time collaborator with Real Artworks, a not-for-profit arts company dedicated to developing creative arts projects with artists of varying abilities to interact with other professional artists or marginalised groups. He also featured in NORPAs 2019 production Dreamland.

Phil Blackman in NORPAs Dreamland

Medical student Tushar explained that “we had a lot of contact with our supervisors and they’re already involved in the arts so they had a lot to say. Along with what we knew about the area and about regional NSW in general, we knew how significant it is to have arts programs in the community. It was that essence of community being formed around arts organisations that interested us.”

“This is the first time we’re using the survey. We made it specifically for the community up here,” he said.

“There’s a lot of research about using art – including comics, writing, literature – as an acute therapeutic method. And here we’re looking more at people who engage with it…it’s how they maintain their well-being, it’s how they feel ok.”

“Anyone who is a part of that community..if you’re watching a show, attending an art gallery. Live music and festivals are not really a thing right now but if you like those events, consider yourself involved in those activities, that counts,” Tushar added.

Another of the students, Ruban Sivakumar, explained that the format of the survey is varied with some multiple choice options and plenty of opportunity for free response. It takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.

“We’re looking for as many participants as possible at this point. Once we get the completed surveys in we’ll aim to analyse that and see how we can use that data,” Ruban said.

The aim of the project is to gauge what effect Covid restrictions may be having on wellbeing but the students are also hopeful the study could provide an evidence base to secure government support for the future of the arts sector in northern NSW.

“From our side, we’ll be making a formal report which we submit to our university, then depending on the data we might publish it in a journal. We’ll of course provide any reports we make to any organisations we’ve connected with so they can use it to promote themselves,” Tushar said.

The students said that the more participants they have, the more confident they can be in their findings.

“We assumed that by the time we got here to Lismore the restrictions would be lessened and it would be interesting to compare to a more free time. But now with restrictions back it is, if anything, more relevant. If people start responding now I think we’ll get a really interesting picture of how things have changed,” Sanju explained.

They also urge participation in the survey even if, as an arts fan or creator, you haven’t been able to do so in the usual way during lockdown.

“If you attend zoom meetings or virtual tours, if you read the local art gallery newsletter.. all that counts,” said Tushar.

“It is subjective, its what you perceive to be arts and how you’re involved,” Sanju added.

“Our plan was to go to all the local places, put up posters, we wanted to go out and talk to people. This would have been the time to do it,” Tushar said.

“Fingers crossed we can still get out there, when things open up,” Sanju concluded.

Now is your chance arts lovers of Lismore. Use this link to have your say and support this important research

https://surveyswesternsydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eK7IXocMS1r3P9k