Mapping of Initiatives on Culture, Health and Well-being

Member States’ Ministers of Culture define their priorities for cultural policy making at EU level in multi-annual Work Plans (usually 4 years) adopted in form of conclusions by the Council of the EU. The 2015-2018 Work Plan for Culture was the EU’s second policy cooperation document of this kind, building on the results of the 2011-2014 work plan. It is continued by a new work plan for the 2019-2022 period.
Relevant priorities between 2015-2018 included:
- “Accessible and inclusive culture” (priority area A), which aimed at fostering the contribution of culture to social inclusion. The focus question of this priority was: how can public policies encourage and support cultural institutions in working within partnerships with other sectors (healthcare, social care, prison service etc.)? To implement this priority, the Council set up an OMC expert group (Open Method of Coordination group consisting of Member States experts) to map existing public policies dealing with social inclusion through culture and identify good practices. In 2019 the group produced the report, ”From Social Inclusion to Social Cohesion – The Role of Cultural Policy”, highlighting that ”culture and the arts are recognised as a potent force in preventative healthcare, therapeutic alternatives and general well-being. (…) In the field of arts and culture for health and well-being there is a broad range of practices, e.g. the arts in a healthcare environment, participatory arts programmes, arts on prescription, art therapy and arts in medical education (...).” The report has an entire chapter on the link between culture and well-being-health (ch. 8.2 ”Partner-centred approach: culture for health and well-being”), including recommendations to policy-makers (such as to adopt a transversal approach to culture, health, well-being and social cohesion/foster trans-sectoral coordination at a national level with different government departments).
- “Cultural heritage” (priority area B). An OMC group worked on the report ”Participatory governance of cultural heritage” in 2018, which provided evidence that using a participatory approach leads to increased appreciation of cultural heritage and an increased quality of life/well-being of people.
- ”Cultural and creative sectors: Creative economy and innovation” (priority area C). An OMC expert group produced the report ”Sustainable Cultural Tourism” in 2019, which acknowledged that ”New sustainable cultural tourism offers relating to both the tangible and intangible cultural heritage should place an emphasis on national strategic planning and networking, as well as concepts such as ‘slow’ tourism, ‘authenticity’, ‘storytelling’, ‘well-being’ and ‘contact with locals’ and that ”Tourism experiences that promote self-reflection, a slower pace and contemplation combined with physical activity can encourage well-being.”

Member States define their priorities for cultural policy making at EU level in multi-annual Work Plans adopted in form of conclusions by the Council of the EU. Next to the New European Agenda for Culture and in line with its strategic orientation, the Work Plan is established as a strategic and dynamic instrument of EU cultural cooperation that addresses current political developments and sets priorities, with due regard for the EU principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. The current Work Plan for Culture is the EU’s third, building on the previous 2015-2018 and 2011-2014 work plans.
For 2019-2022 there are 6 priorities for European cooperation in cultural policy-making: 1) Sustainability in cultural heritage; 2) Cohesion and well-being; 3) An ecosystem supporting artists, cultural and creative professionals and European content; 4) Gender equality; 5) International cultural relations; 6) Culture as a driver for sustainable development. 18 key topics and corresponding actions are defined under each of these priorities for the Member States, the presidencies of the Council as well as for the European Commission.
Regarding the ”Cohesion and well-being” priority, the policy document mentions that access to culture and participation in cultural life promote individual empowerment, democratic consciousness and social cohesion through exchanges with other people and civic engagement. Cross-sectoral cooperation with other areas, such as education, social care, healthcare, science and technology, and regional and urban development, has a significant effect on cohesion and well-being.
The topics addressed under the ”Cohesion and well-being” priority of the Work Plan:
- Social cohesion. After reviewing the report of the OMC group on ‘Fostering the contribution of culture to social inclusion’ (2017/18), a follow-up OMC group will be given a new mandate to explore specific topics of particular interest in more depth, such as the need to include culture as a cross-cutting issue in the fields of social policy, health policy and local development, among others. A conference will be organised to disseminate the results.
- High-quality architecture and built environment for everyone, which will be dealt with by on OMC expert group followed by a conference hosted by Austria and possible Council conclusions. Innovative and inclusive processes to deliver and preserve quality architecture are needed to develop an integrated approach contributing to the well-being of all citizens.
- Understanding digital audiences
- Young creative generation
- Citizenship, values and democracy
The Council invites the Member States and the Commission to work together on the priorities of the Work Plan for Culture, which is implemented by a dynamic rolling agenda. The Work Plan for Culture requires monitoring by the Presidency of the Council and, if necessary, may be adjusted by the Council in light of results achieved and/or policy developments at European level.

Bubbles of Imaginary is the first project of the Doctors of Imaginary Association, dedicated for children aged 4 to 16. It was set up in close collaboration with the team of the Immuno-Hematology and Pediatric Rheumatology Unit of the Necker Hospital - Enfants Malades, in 2003. It has been ongoing since September 2004 and contributes to better living during the time of hospitalization and bone marrow transplant protocol. Frédérique Subtil has taken over from Laurence Bosi since 2011 on this program. She intervenes individually at the bedside of patients, two afternoons a week.

House of Culture and Well-being is one of the Citizens Programme of the Local Council in the Ajuda neighborhood from Lisboa. It is an open and free space with a daily, regular and varied offer of activities aimed at all ages within the scope of culture and well-being. The goals of the programme are to promote monthly events, such as book launches, music concerts, meetings, cinema; to be a place of conviviality between people who are in a situation of isolation or social exclusion; to develop inter-generational activities; to promote a culture of participation; to give space for young graduates to boost their projects with the community; to create a safe space for socializing and for practicing various activities.

The project's idea started during the preparations for the Basic Mental Health Kit, another initiative of the ManifestaMente organisation. Artists are often the ones who best convey a message, that's why they did song about mental health. The journey of getting their final song: an artist wrote some accessible, play, respectful lyrics about mental health, another artists made some illustrations and animated them to the sound of music and Telma Pereira was chosen as singer. In this initiative ManifestaMente is engaging and challenging the general public/ artists to share the song, invite others to do another version of the song and sing it, to create their own version of the song and share the created content via social media channels, by using #cantarpelasaudemental. The last challenge would be to create a personal song on the mental health topic.

Art for Health is collaborative project, under the big umbrella of projects for the candidacy of Faro city to become the European Capital of Culture in 2027. The aim of the project is to promote the well-being (physical, mental and social) of health professionals through culture in the city's hospital, especially after an overwhelming pandemic for everyone. Art relieves the emotional tension felt by health professionals and tension is even greater nowadays. The pandemic has changed the daily lives of all of us, but especially of those who are in contact with patients. Artistic interventions took place in the cafeteria of the hospital, because this is a space through which all the hospital's health professionals pass: doctors, executives, administrative staff, technicians, nurses, auxiliary staff, etc. The artworks to be exhibited results from conversations carried out between the artists, health professionals and the Faro2027 team. All users of the cafeteria have the chance to get in touch with the artist through digital means.

The Pharmacy Museum in Porto carried out a thematic visit, entitled "Art and Health", on August 24th 2020 to mark the Artist's Day. The visitors were invited to take a journey through the way art has served health over the centuries. The objective was to present the history of health and pharmacy over time, relating, in the context of its collection, the different cultures and civilizations that are part of its permanent exhibition.
Participants took a journey through the history of health and pharmacy, where different artistic manifestations of each people and civilization were unveiled, from the iconography of ancient Egypt, using anthropomorphic forms, through Italian majolica at the service of iconography religious, to the representation of elements of nature in the exotic Islamic pharmacy.

The Regional Charity Červený Kostelec got EEA Grants for the renewal of the baroque area at the home of St. Josef in Žirč. The purpose of the project was to save the cultural heritage of the very valuable baroque complex of the Home of St. Josef in Žirč with the aim that this area can serve the disabled and non-disabled people and thus become a meeting place for them. The facility is the first and so far the only one of its kind in the Czech Republic that provides comprehensive services to people affected by multiple sclerosis and their loved ones (approximately 450 people from all over the Czech Republic each year). The project helped the general public, but also disabled people to make greater use of historic buildings and land, for learning and relaxation. The outside area was used for daily relaxation and for regular cultural events and meetings.

The Stalwarts project aimed to promote relational health in schools through engagement with arts. It was an innovative cross-sectoral higher education project based in 5 European countries: Estonia, Italy, Norway, Portugal and the UK. It brought together 3 inter-disciplinary/professional groups: school-based teachers and educators; creative arts therapists/trainers and university staff. The teachers and educators were drawn from 5 different contexts: one residential special school; one ‘second chance’ school; one ‘production’ school and two mainstream schools that specifically prioritise inclusive educational practice. National partnerships were established between the schools and their local universities involving creative arts therapists, researchers and specialists in inclusive educational practice and music education.
One of the project’s outputs was: ‘A Framework for Impact Studies.’ This output includes comprehensive guidelines on the planning, implementation and evaluation of small-scale classroom-based enquiries (impact studies) in this innovative field of therapeutically-informed teaching practice. 35 enquiries were conducted by the teachers and educators in the 5 schools during the first year; 86 during the second, as part of the university modules.

Another new initiative in STALWARTS was the introduction of theoretical underpinning and relevant measures relating to the impact of music and the arts on affective and cognitive function using a neuroscience-informed approach. The strapline for the STALWARTS project was ‘Relational Health in Schools,’ with the intended impact of embedding policy in learning and practice. Hence, the main target group for the whole partnership was those children and young people affected by adverse life conditions, including early childhood trauma. This related to another project output: ‘Relational Health in Schools in Context.’ This resource for the modules includes relevant national policy documents and theoretical contexts for promoting relational health and wellbeing in European schools and with an objective to reduce ELET (Early Leaving from Education and Training). There was reference throughout STALWARTS to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in safeguarding young people’s entitlements to music and arts experiences.

Promoting well-being through the arts was a joint project of the art education organisations in Valkeakoski, Finland. The coordinator of the project was the town's centre for education and well-being, and the partners were Valkeakoski Music School, Valkeakoski Lifelong Learning Centre (basic education in dance and drama), and the Emil School of Fine Arts and Crafts. One of the central objectives of the art education organisations in Valkeakoski is to develop their organisational cultures. The adoption of the new national curriculum for art education in 2018 brought with it clear development needs. The town administration has been restructured in anticipation of a major national reform of health and welfare services. The new organisation reflects the new tasks of the municipality in the promotion of residents' well-being. Art education as a means to promote well-being and prevent social and health problems has a major role in this task. The adoption of the new national curriculum brings along the need to train teachers to meet the new contents and requirements. In order to add a European dimension to education, it is also necessary to increase the language skills of the staff. The goal of all consortium partners was to increase their cultural competences and gain skills to emphasize multicultural aspects in teaching and to get new insights into learning environments.