What Are The Odds?

What are the odds? Ikon Creative Health – an exhibition at the Library of Birmingham – explores the role of art in supporting health and care systems (21 January – 27 June 2026).

Based on Ikon’s collaborative research with visual artists, academic and charity partners, What are the odds?  reflects a range of lived experience from diversity in infant feeding to ageing and dying well. The exhibition’s graphic identity – designed by Birmingham-based artist Foka Wolf – plays on a 1970s ‘game of life’  TV show aesthetic, simulating a journey through the different institutions that define a life course.  What are the odds? presents creative health not only as an intervention, but as a way of questioning, shaping and understanding the conditions we live in. Several artists have worked with communities to use creative methods to break down societal barriers and advocate for health justice. Co-curated by Regan McDonald, Ikon Public Health Research Officer, and Linzi Stauvers, Ikon Artistic Director (Education), What are the odds? addresses public health and social care issues with a creative and communal response.

Partners include: Artscoop Central; Changing Our Lives; Art and Activism Cluster, Birmingham City University; Birmingham City Council, Public Health and Adult Social Care; Birmingham Hospice; HMP Birmingham; In Certain Places, University of Lancashire; Jameel Arts and Health Lab; NHS Living Well Consortium; School of Social Policy and Society, University of Birmingham; Stuart Hall Archive Project, University of Birmingham.

This exhibition is supported by Art Fund’s Reimagine grants programme. Exhibition interpretation is formed in partnership and consultation with Birmingham City Council Public Health.

“This exhibition from Ikon highlights the powerful role art can play in supporting health and wellbeing – something our recent research with King’s College London shows can benefit everyone. What are the odds? Ikon Creative Health is a brilliant example of how museums and galleries can address public health and social care issues with creativity – and I’m delighted we’ve been able to support it through our Reimagine grants.” Jenny Waldman, Director, Art Fund 

What are the odds? Ikon Creative Health is accompanied by a satellite display that maps Birmingham City Council’s Public Health’s ongoing strategic development of a Creative Health programme across city partners Birmingham Museums Trust, Hippodrome, Ikon and Midlands Arts Centre.