‘The Art of Caring’: when artistic creation becomes part of healthcare professionals’ training

Listening, finding the right words, being there for someone who is vulnerable: the quality of care depends as much on the relationship as on the actions taken. In Valenciennes, Cambrai and Maubeuge, the Hauts-de-France Polytechnic University and three healthcare training institutes are exploring whether theatre, film, dance, writing or photography can help future carers to be better prepared for this. A three-year project, supported by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), is set to put this to the test.

When technology is no longer enough

Healthcare training programmes have made significant progress in imparting theoretical knowledge and technical skills. However, there remains an aspect of clinical competence that is more difficult to teach, and even more so to assess: building rapport, understanding how others feel, addressing the ethical dimensions of a situation, and taking a step back to reflect on one’s own practice.

This issue is now at the heart of discussions within the sector. In September 2026, the French National Authority for Health (HAS) therefore began, in collaboration with the Francophone Society for Health Simulation, the development of a guide to best practice dedicated to training in the relationship between healthcare professionals and patients.

The arts as a space for learning

The project led by the UPHF offers a complementary approach: placing the arts, culture and the humanities at the heart of study programmes. Through a play, a film, a photograph or a writing workshop, students are confronted with complex human realities, experiment with different ways of listening and interacting, and gain a more detached perspective on their future practice.

Beyond skills, it is also the development of future healthcare professionals’ professional identity that is at stake.

A project created by many hands

Led by the UPHF, the project is based on a close partnership with the Institute for Training in Healthcare Professions (IFMS) in Valenciennes and the nursing training institutes (IFSI) in Cambrai and Maubeuge. These institutions are at the heart of the initiative: they implement the teaching programmes, integrate artistic activities into their training courses and contribute to the scientific evaluation of the programme.

Around them, bridges are being built with sectors that still rarely have the opportunity to work together: healthcare establishments and cultural institutions, including Le Phénix, the national theatre in Valenciennes. By offering young professionals in training practical access to artistic practices, the project ultimately addresses an equality issue: reducing social, cultural and regional inequalities.

In practice: a multifaceted approach to education

The 2026–2027 programme brings together several artistic practices, conceived as gateways to the care relationship:

Theatre: The Spaghetti Syndrome, aimed at first-year students, followed by The Loft, are offered to students at the Intermède.
Cinema: film screenings followed by discussions centred on Bal des folles, Adaptés (a documentary filmed in the Hauts-de-France region on the effects of global warming there) and Vivre c’est vieillir, screened in Maubeuge and then in Cambrai in the presence of the director.
Photography: the exhibition L’emprise by David Diruit, on display from early 2027.
Dance and physical practices: workshops focusing on the body, breathing, fascia and yoga, to help participants learn to manage stress and emotions and to build self-confidence.
Creative writing: workshops with the poet Julien Bucci, focusing on the body, how others see us and empathy.

The project also draws on the region’s cultural programme, notably featuring events at Le Phénix linked to Mental Health Week (XXL, on fatphobia) and the theme of healing and resilience (Break Fix). In addition, there will be a one-day seminar on palliative care and, at the request of the IFMS, a conference on management through art.

Understanding what art really changes

A belief does not in itself constitute a teaching method. The project therefore combines practical experimentation with research, alongside a scientific evaluation of the programme. Which practices prove to be the most effective? What effects can be observed among students? Under what conditions can these approaches be sustainably integrated into the curriculum? The findings should inform teaching teams and be applicable well beyond the Valenciennes area.

In keeping with our institution’s polytechnic ethos, we believe that the training of healthcare professionals cannot be reduced to the acquisition of knowledge and technical skills alone. It must also prepare future carers to take a step back and deal with the human complexity of the situations they will encounter. By fostering dialogue between the arts, health sciences and the humanities, we aim to explore new ways of developing these essential skills. It is the responsibility of a polytechnic university to experiment with, evaluate and share approaches that have the potential to bring about lasting change in training programmes and practices.

Franck Barbier, vice-président délégué en charge du secteur santé de l’UPHF

Find out more

The international symposium ‘The Art of Caring’ will be a highlight of the project. Programme, speakers and registration: visit the event’s dedicated page

^{Project co-funded by the European Union under the ESF+ programme.}