DoWell Series: Stomach Ache Project: Creativity, Lived Experience & Guts

DoWell Co-Design Workshop and Lecture Series 2025-2026

The DoWell research group offers an expanded interdisciplinary workshop and lectures series this year to provide the opportunity for colleagues to explore an exciting range of different topics, including practices and approaches to co-designing in various health and care contexts. The format of the monthly sessions is more flexible this year, including online presentations and panel discussions as well as in-person workshops for colleagues to get hands-on experience and get involved in the different approaches to co-design. The workshops aim to provide a forum and time for colleagues to meet and get to know each other’s work, and to foster discussion and cross-faculty collaboration.

We are looking forward seeing you all in the workshop.

Kristina Niedderer & DoWell group

Stomach Ache Project: Creativity, Lived Experience & Guts

The ’Stomach Ache Project’ (2021 - Present) is an international research network co-lead by Dr Vanessa Bartlett (independent) and Dr Rachel Marsden (University of Birmingham / University of the Arts London (UAL)). The project uses creative and curatorial methods to explore the lived experience of digestion and the gut microbiome considering how habits, practices and environments shape our relationships with gut health. Reflecting on practice-research approaches informed by “digestive disruption” and “unruly guts”, the session will present the project’s development and outcomes to date.

After the presentation, Vanessa and Rachel welcome questions and conversations about how creative methods can bridge gaps between scientific knowledge and everyday lived experiences of gut health. We welcome practitioners, creatives, researchers and students, also those interested in justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in complex interdisciplinary fields.

The ‘Stomach Ache Project’ will also be presented as part of the free, public event ‘Go with your gut’ British Academy’s ‘Searching for Wellness’ festival on Thursday 26th November 2026, 6.30 – 7.45pm. More information and how to book here.

Speakers

Dr Vanessa Bartlett is a visual artist, curator and researcher based in Sydney, Australia. Her interdisciplinary work spans arts, health and science, with support from organisations including Wellcome Trust and Arts Council England. She is the founder of Studio Elsie.

Dr Rachel Marsden is a curator, researcher and educator specialising in creative health, medical humanities and social prescribing. She is an NIHR SPHR Transdisciplinary Fellow at the University of Birmingham and Senior Lecturer at University of the Arts London.

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/395973645632829?p=bT0JRPLegDTDspmQKE

Meeting ID: 395 973 645 632 829

Passcode: oo6D8u3j