Mapping of Initiatives on Culture, Health and Well-being

Move Dance Feel is a project developed between April 2018 and April 2019 in collaboration with three leading cancer support organisations across London. The project was open to all adult women aged 18+ and offered free, weekly dance sessions centered around artistic practice, where women could come together "to dance instead of talk about their cancer.

A new series of Trauma Recovery project realized through the ‘Restoring Smiles through Dance’ curriculum was implemented in 5 centres (3 child care institutions in Maharashtra, and 1 child care institution and 1 community setting in West Bengal). This module consists of three thematic areas: Awareness and Sensation, Emotional Balance and Social Integration. It consists of 48 DMT sessions, spread across 1 year.

Strategic policy document adopted in 2018, which provides the framework for cooperation on culture at the EU level. It builds on the 1st European Agenda for Culture launched in 2007 ”to address current societal challenges through the transformative power of culture”. The New Agenda establishes enhanced working methods with Member States, civil society organisations and international partners. It has 3 strategic areas, with social, economic and external dimensions.
The social dimension is where ”well-being” is explicitely mentioned in the policy text. Aimed at harnessing the power of culture and cultural diversity for social cohesion and well-being, the Agenda seeks to: ”foster the cultural capability of all Europeans by making available a wide range of cultural activities and providing opportunities to participate actively; encourage the mobility of professionals in the cultural and creative sectors and remove obstacles to their mobility; protect and promote Europe's cultural heritage as a shared resource, to raise awareness of our common history and values and reinforce a sense of common European identity.

The strategical policy document acknowledges that cultural participation improves health and well-being and cites research that confirm that cultural access is an extremely important catalyst for psychological well-being, preceded only by the absence of disease. Policy collaboration under the New Agenda is currently supported from 2021 by Creative Europe and other relevant programmes under the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027.

Vilnius City Municipality together with the Teachers' House, the Center and Šeškinė Polyclinics presents the project "Cultural Prescription". The doctors of these polyclinics provide invitations to various cultural events taking place in Vilnius for their patients with oncological, cardiovascular diseases and depression, together with a prescription for medication. 10 cultural institutions have agreed to take part in the project, offering monthly invitations or tickets to their events, giving participants the opportunity to listen to a concert, go to a performance or see an exhibition for free. It is planned that during the 12-month project, about 10 thousand patients will receive prescriptions for cultural events.

The international event "Access to Art: Museums, Communities and Social Exclusion Groups" focuses on how cultural and artistic creators and organizations can bring change into society. To be a community center, a museum must first become a learner and, further, a participatory organization which knows if it is part of its audience's life, stimulates interest, and strengthens the audience's emotional connection to culture. The museum's self-analysis and search for ways to communicate can offer ways for individuals facing the social exclusion to enjoy cultural values, participate in creative processes, and get to know themselves and others through art.
The International event, “Accessible Arts: Museums, Communities and Socially Excluded groups” is organised by NGO “Socialiniai meno projektai“ with the support of the European Commission and Lithuanian Council for Culture, and in a partnership with the National Gallery of Art, Nordic Council of Ministers office in Lithuania, Lithuanian Museums Association, Lithuanian Counties Association and Arts for Health at Manchester Metropolitan University.

The project was realized in cooperation with the Center for Mental Health of the Polyclinic and medical staff, doctors, social workers and nurses participated in the activities. The project entailed an art program to be set up inside the Polyclinic whilst the content sought to find mutually beneficial solutions for a smooth implementation of the project. The project also had a research component.

The project took place at the St. Joseph nursing home in order to tackle the many problems the residents of care homes face by using artistic interventions. When planning the project, it was agreed that the St. Joseph's would define a target group of participants and provide everything needed, such as information on the needs of this group, assistance in the implementation artistic program and research. A group of 15 people started participating in the project but only 14 completed it. The group of participants consisted only of persons in good physical condition who were able to move independently or using special compensatory measures (wheelchairs, walkers).

The Art Mentoring in Mental Health Structures project is a continuation of the successful innovative Art Residencies in Mental Health Structures program, which has been implemented since 2016. As part of the Art Mentoring in Mental Health Structures action, from October to December 2021, ten ASKT artist students visited five mental health facilities (special schools and healthcare day centers) and under the supervision of the therapists, they involved participants into artworks co-creation activities. The co-creation activities were developed in several stages: in the first phase, each artists proposed a concept on which the group is working; in the second phase, the artists through direct contact and co-creation with the participants tries to get to know him/her better, recognizing the needs of the trainee and discovering the techniques that are suitable for the participant; in the third phase the artists is providing to the trainee materials and artistic means through which he/she can express, in order to find his personal style and then create his own artworks.

Therapeutic Photography Workshops comprise a year-round program by the non-profit organization Eyes of Light - Arts in Health Hub. The workshops are provided free of charge, to all adults who have experienced cancer in their lives. The project began in 2019 and it aims to improve the emotional well-being and the quality of life of cancer patients and survivors.
The workshops are a combination of photography with other creative and participatory practices, such as self-awareness techniques, group photo-shootings, painting and collage, body expression, group games, etc. The organization has been recognized internationally by the Phototherapy Centre of Canada and has been awarded as the "Best Therapeutic Photography Workshop Provider" by the Private Healthcare Awards 2021 of Global Health & Pharma in the United Kingdom.

Improving the quality of life of cancer patients and reducing the negative impact that socio-sensory isolation can have on them is the goal of Look of Life. The virtual reality project is conceived by the Onlus Foundation, the Menomale Cultural Association with the Human Inspired Technology Research Center of the University of Padua and the multimedia partner Deye VR. Look of Life aims to evaluate the clinical outcome and the use at home of an innovative technology with Gear VR viewers that allow the enjoyment of 360° immersive videos. The proposed experiences have the potential to give a relaxing moment, awaken the attention and the pleasure of discovery through emotions such as wonder, joy and amazement that the disease often risks removing from the daily life of the patient and his family.