Social and Cultural Context: Creative Health and Wellbeing
Art Therapy takes places against a backdrop and a rapidly evolving context where there is a research backed global recognition of the benefits of arts, health and wellbeing. ‘Creative Health’ is a relatively new term used to describe a whole host of amazing work in relation to supporting the essential role that creativity, art and culture can play in the health and wellbeing of everyone, whatever their background and wherever they live.
Important research carried out by Daisy Fancourt and Andrew Steptoe in 2019 into Art and Longevity established key findings that supports an exponential growth in arts, health and wellbeing strategic and policy priorities around national and global health improvement.
- Art Reduces Stress – Artistic engagement is more than relaxation; it facilities emotional expression; decreases stress hormones, enhances mental health
- Art Builds social connections– the Arts play a crucial role in fostering community, enhanc- ing individual and communal wellbeing.
- Art fights loneliness – active participation in the arts can combat feelings of isolation and loneliness – it strengthen social networks
- Art Boosts emotional skills – regular engagement with various artforms enhances emo- tional intelligence, improving social survival skills, and interpersonal relationships – in- creases empathy
- Art inspires Movement – Art isn’t just for the mind; it encourages physical activity, re- ducing sendetary lifestyles
- Finding purpose in Art – consistent artistic engagements contributes to a strong sense of life purpose and healthier lifestyle choices and vitality. Strengthens Immune function.
The Arts Council England, for example is working with the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, NHS Improvement, and Public Health England (now the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities), as well as national charities such as Age UK, Mind, and Scope, in order to emphasise the benefits that access to culture and creativity can bring to public health, and to the wellbeing of communities across the country. The Let’s Create Strategy for 2020-2030 shares a vision to ensure that everyone in the country has access to high quality creative and cultural activities which in turn will lead to happier and healthier lives. “Creative and cultural activity must be viewed by society as a fundamental part of living well”. Nicholas Serota, Chair of Arts Council England.
The All Party Parliamentary Group on the Arts, Health and Wellbeing set up in 2014 aims to improve awareness of the benefits that the arts can bring to health and wellbeing and lead the creation of the National Centre for Creative Health.
https://www.culturehealthandwellbeing.org.uk/appg-inquiry/
National Centre for Creative Health – NCCH believes everyone has creative potential and that creativity can lead to healthier lives and communities. Active engagement with the arts and culture, whether through one’s own creative practice or through enjoyment of the creative practice of others, is beneficial for the health and wellbeing of us all. Their priorities are: health inequalities; advancing good practice and research; informing policy; and promoting collaboration.
“Being creative and taking part in cultural activities can help keep us well, aid our recov- ery from illness and contribute to longer lives, better lived. Creative health approaches can help meet major challenges such as health inequalities, ageing, long-term conditions, loneliness and mental health. And they can help save money in health and social care. Creative health can provide tools for engaging with communities that often do not get a voice and support a better understanding of the issues they face” (https://ncch.org.uk/)
https://www.creativehealthtoolkit.org.uk/
World Health Organisation – states that the arts are uniquely suited to help us under- stand and communicate concepts and emotions by drawing on all our senses and capacity for empathy. In recent decades, we have come to understand the intrinsic health benefits to artistic and leisure activities. Art can help us to emotionally navigate the journey of battling an illness or injury, to process difficult emotions in times of emergency and chal- lenging events. The creation and enjoyment of the arts helps promote holistic wellness and can be a motivating factor in recovery. Including the arts in health care delivery has been shown to support positive clinical outcomes for patients while also supporting other stakeholders, including health care providers, the patient’s loved ones and the wider community. Benefits are seen across several markers, including health promotion, the management of health conditions and illness, and disease prevention.
Art Therapy & Yoga 