Culture helps us foster a sense of meaning and identity, it can expand horizons, place contemporary challenges within a historical frame, and inspire us to imagine a better future. Beyond economic benefits, promoting social cohesion, and inspiring contemporary creativity, the arts contribute to the holistic well-being of individuals and communities. The Covid-19 pandemic has been a difficult period which has highlighted even more the need for support in dealing with uncertainty and mental health conditions. Several studies documented the beneficial impact of art on our well-being during the pandemic.
To find different perspectives on the question ”How does art contribute to our well-being?”, this publication draws attention to the results of the exploratory processes and activities of the Art & Well-being project, and presents stories of beneficiaries of cultural events, people who are working in the arts, and other professionals engaging with art in their work.
The publication includes four main chapters. The first is dedicated to personal experiences. Artists, therapists, medical practitioners, teachers and art lovers, as well as people who have simply had their first significant cultural experiences during the Art & Well-being project, share how art has helped them experience life fully, to be more aware, or to move through difficult times. The second chapter comprises essays and interviews reflecting the experiences of the four partner organisations who engaged with the use of art for health and well-being, while the third chapter presents photographs of artworks and activities carried out within the project. The fourth chapter sums up the learnings of the project and provides recommendations, for individuals, artists, policymakers and cultural institutions alike, on how to enable arts to positively impact both their lives and the lives of the people in their communities.
The publication was coordinated by Cluj Cultural Centre and included the input from all partners – Bozar, UGM Maribor Art Gallery and Bruno Kessler Foundation, mainly the researchers and members of the Artistic Board. It will be used for dissemination in advocacy and transfer meetings that all the partners will have with different stakeholders in the future.
