You have reached the online home of Helen Johnson. 

I am a Principal Lecturer in Psychology and, Co-Director of the Centre for Arts and Wellbeing at the University of Brighton, an Associate Lecturer for the Open University, and Principal Investigator for the AHRC Everyday Creativity Research Network. I am also a spoken word artist and event organiser, with over 20 years experience writing, performing and teaching poetry, and facilitating poetry events. I have run the Poetry&Words stage at Glastonbury Festival since 2008.

I am a significant contributor to critical social science, creative research methods and spoken word scholarship. My work focuses on participatory and arts-based research innovations, applications of the arts in enhancing health and wellbeing, and exploring spoken word communities and practices.

My work extends beyond research, with active contributions to academic citizenship, community-university partnerships, social activism, public engagement, and consultancy. My ‘collaborative poetics’ method and network offer a transformative approach to underpin this wide-ranging practice, using spoken word and creative writing to enhance individual and community wellbeing, build critical resilience, and reshape academic research to better serve communities, especially those that are marginalised and vulnerable.   

My partnerships with scholars and artists span globally. Recent research projects include: developing a model and resources to underpin community-engaged research; evaluating theatre-in-education as an intervention to address substance misuse amongst adolescents and teenagers; LQBTQ+ gambling harms; and using art to support the wellbeing of children with Long Covid.