Over eighteen months, CultureForHealth united local and regional initiatives across Europe to make the case for something many communities already sensed but couldn't yet prove: that arts and culture have a real, measurable effect on physical and mental health, well-being, social inclusion and a sense of belonging. Partners ran six pilot projects in five countries, tackling both the "management and treatment" of illness and the "prevention and promotion" of well-being, then distilled everything they learned into a full research report and policy recommendations, aiming to bring health, cultural and social policy closer together at regional and local level.
Project's final publication
CultureForHealth culminated in a report — "Culture's contribution to health and well-being: a report on evidence and policy recommendations for Europe" — synthesising existing evidence on the positive effects of arts and cultural activities on health and well-being, identifying knowledge gaps in the literature, and gathering policy recommendations for the EU. The report was presented on 16 November 2022 at the European Commission's seminar "Culture: a driver for health and wellbeing in the EU," and formally launched online on 24 November 2022 with opening statements from Members of the European Parliament, presentations, and policy discussions.
About the project
'CultureForHealth' is a collaborative endeavor, uniting local and regional initiatives across Europe. Together, we champion the profound impact of arts and culture on physical and mental health, well-being, social inclusion, and a sense of belonging, both for individuals and the broader community.
The details
CultureForHealth aligns seamlessly with the overarching objectives of the Preparatory Action—Bottom-Up Policy Development for Culture & Well-being in the EU, which include:
facilitate the exchange of knowledge, experience and success stories in the EU related to the role of culture for well-being and health,
- map the most relevant existing practices
- improve the capacity of local actors
- carry out small-scale pilot work on the ground
- provide a set of policy recommendations on the topic
Extensive research: CultureForHealth researchers gather, analyse and structure existing knowledge and evidence about the beneficial role of culture for well-being and health.
Mapping: Part of the research aims at mapping relevant and good examples of EU, national, regional and local programmes and initiatives on arts, health and wellbeing. Find the mapping here.
Six pilot projects: Six experimental pilot projects in Denmark, Italy, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia are designed to test the feasibility of new ideas and approaches that have emerged from the project. All pilots are dedicated to the topic of "managing, treating or preventing" diseases. Read more about the pilots here.
- Culture Action Europe
- Trans Europe Halles
- Central Denmark Region
- The Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture
- Centrul Cultural Clujean
- Društvo Asociacija
TEH members involved in the pilot projects:
- Truc Spherique, Zilina, Slovakia
- Associazione Oltre..., Bologna, Italy
Funders and partners
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