Mapping of Initiatives on Culture, Health and Well-being

Home of St. Josef is the only inpatient facility in the Czech Republic for patients with multiple sclerosis and regular concerts are organized by them for the patients. Their purposes are either for the cultural input in the life of patients, either for the fundrasining.

The mission of the social therapy workshop is the long-term support of people with mental illness by creating opportunities for self-realization in a safe area of ​​social service and to acquire or renew work and social skills. This is individual or group work in the form of work and social training in the field of cleaning, kitchen or handicraft activities. The service is provided on an outpatient basis and is free of charge. The social therapy workshop is one of the actions of Spirala that is helping directly the beneficiaries, but besides this, there is a component of raising awareness on mental health issues for the general population. Moreover, Spirala has a e-shop that calls for clients that want to use/ buy the products/services offered by the people with mental illnesses like: sewing, crafting, plant care and catering.

Memory is a contemporary circus project, which aims to study what makes us human: the ability to imagine and create realities that transform and shape each one's experiences. It is a brief exploration of the strange nature of our consciousness. It is intended to bring to the "naked eye" the complexity of the brain and its "disorders" in a natural way, to demystify them, approaching them through the contemporary circus. Learning to control impulses, emotions and everything that comes from the imaginary world of every human being is not an easy task, but it is a struggle that is fought daily.

The project idea came from Carolina Caldeira's desire to study in depth the difference between loneliness and solitude, and how these two concepts could be related to insularity.
The aim was to demystify the importance of introspection, from the therapeutic practice of psychological counseling, and together, experience the impact of being geographically isolated on an uninhabited island, contemplating the natural processes around and within themselves. The experience took place on the Selvagens Islands, between August and September 2021, and lasted 18 days, with the support and collaboration of the IFCN, Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation. The project has been financed by the Portuguese Partnership Support Program- Art and Mental Health ( DGARTES ), a team of Mental Health professionals (Rumo) and two visual artists ( André Moniz Vieira and Juliana Lee. Portuguese Partnership Support Program - Art and Mental Health.

Created during the first lockdown in April 2020, the Troupe de l'Imaginaire brings together now more than 208 artists joined by 10 associated doctors and scientists. 22 different nationalities, the artists of the Troupe de l'Imaginaire have been involved since the beginning of the pandemic in solidarity actions supported by the Théâtre de la Ville. Until today, they have called more than 17,000 people by telephone for poetic consultations in 23 languages in France, Europe and the world. Since December 2020, they have been mobilized for poetic, musical and dance consultations with children, students, the elderly, the isolated or people in precarious situations. Workshops and small artistic forms at the crossroads of dance, music and theatre are also proposed. The Troupe de l'Imaginaire also works in 11 health establishments to offer patients and health workers poetic, musical and dance consultations face to face or by telephone (depending on health restrictions). The creation of this collective during this period of pandemic is also an act of solidarity towards artists who are in difficulty due to the health crisis.

The centre for disabled people offers, among others, artistic activities such as music making, painting, dance and sculpture-making for its users. They also show their creations in different spaces including the buildings of the organization and exhibition places. Being creative is often a way for people with mental and multiple disabilities to express their wishes, needs and feelings without using language.

As a training center for future artists, scientists and educators, but also as an employer , the mdw - University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna focuses on the physical and mental well-being of all members of the university with its "Art and Health" project. The declared goal of "Art and Health" (K&G) is the transdisciplinary connection between art and health, which is to be promoted in all relevant areas. The existing approaches (prevention, therapy, research) are networked and expanded. The focus of the project is on maintaining and promoting health and preventing work-related complaints. The three pillars of " Art and Health" at the mdw: (1) Courses - Healthy practice of art
for students; (2) Research - Research into the effects of music, music-making science, prevention and (3) General health promotion measures - for teachers, students, administration

ARTEMIS is an art-based intervention designed especially for people with dementia and their care partners that involves a combination of museum visits and artistic activity. ARTEMIS consisted of a one-hour thematic tour and subsequent creative work with various artistic techniques in the studio. Couples consisting of a person with mild to moderate dementia and a caring relative could participate in the project. The group size was limited to a maximum of six couples.
The initiative is based on a two-year medical pilot study in which the Städel Museum and the Department of Geriatric Medicine at the Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main examined the therapeutic potential of interactively dealing with art for people with dementia.

Project "Doctor Clown" is a non-profit project of the Ukrainian Charitable Foundation "Helping", aimed at regular assistance to children who are treated in medical institutions and promote recovery through laughter therapy, as well as reduce stress in children and their parents. The project used clowning therapy (humor, interaction and play), to reduce stress among the hospitalized children and their parents, and rise awareness of the need for more clowns volunteers into the hospital.

The project "Art therapy and play for children with severe health problems" was carried out between January 13, 2014 - July 13, 2014, with the support of ING BANK.
The M.A.M.E. Association aimed through this project to support 14 children with severe health problems by participating in art therapy and playful workshops (painting, drawing, reading, modeling, collage, music therapy sessions). The sessions were organized for children to be able to cope more easily with the situation, to develop their skills to deal with health problems, trauma caused by illness, pain and invasive treatments. Also, the art and creation workshops supported by psychotherapists, volunteers of the association, were excellent means of stimulating creativity and a guarantor of mental health. The activities included in the project were carried out at the headquarters of the M.A.M.E. Association and for children whose state of health does not allow them to move, were carried out at their home, with the consent of the parent.