About Us

Our vision is simple: communities across the UK have access to health promotion that's engaging, accessible, and rooted in arts, culture, and heritage.

Our Story

Cayr was founded in 2024 around a simple idea: health promotion doesn't have to look like leaflets and lecture halls. It can look like photography workshops that get young people exploring their neighbourhood. Textile workshops that help women process a breast cancer diagnosis. Oral history projects that bring isolated older people back into community life.

The outcomes are the same, better health, stronger communities, reduced inequalities, but the route there is completely different.

We understand both the arts sector and the public health sector. We speak both languages, and we know how to make them work together. That positioning is rare, and it's what makes our programmes genuinely evidence-based while still being engaging, accessible, and led by what communities actually want.

How we work
A young girl in an orange shirt and glasses is leaning over a table, writing on a piece of paper with a black pen in an indoor classroom setting. In front of her are colorful markers, a cartoon face zippered pouch, and paper with printed words and images. Another girl in gray is sitting at the same table, looking out the window. The table has water bottles and various papers.

01 

We listen before we build.

Together, we outline a path forward that’s realistic, strategic, and tailored to your specific needs.

A person is writing on a large sheet of paper with notes and diagrams, using a gray marker. The notes include sections titled 'PUTDOWN/UP' and 'REFLECTIVE.' The person wearing a colorful butterfly-patterned garment is working on diagramming ideas or processes.

03 

We share what we learn.

We're committed to evidencing impact because if we can't show this works, we can't make the case for it to happen more widely.

Two women smiling and talking at a table covered with fabric samples, photos, and scissors in a craft or fabric store.

04 

We're honest about complexity.

Through mentoring, research, and openness about our work , we aim to help build a stronger sector.

We use ABCD approaches. That means understanding what's already there and making sure communities have real ownership of what happens.

A yellow lined note card clipped to a purple surface with a small clothespin, containing handwritten text that reads 'creativity made me confident.'

02 

We measure what matters.

Health inequalities are systemic. Arts can't fix everything. But they can be tools when used strategically, and we're more interested in doing that well than in overpromising.

Group of people sitting around a table, coloring and drawing on paper, with art supplies scattered across the table, and some people laughing and smiling.

05

We start with health, not art.

15

events

500+

Participants

1000+

Audiences
Two young girls sitting at a table holding cameras, looking upward. One girl has dark curly hair and a white shirt with a heart, the other has dark straight hair in a ponytail and a yellow shirt. There are two adults standing behind them, with hands gesturing as if explaining something. A juice box and pens are on the table.