Health and Wellbeing: Transformative impacts of arts, culture and creativity
February 2020
Resources
How arts and culture impact physical and mental health outcomes
Factsheet 6 drawn from ANA’s 2019 Insight Report, ‘Transformative: Impacts of culture and creativity’
Arts and culture, when used in both clinical and wellbeing settings, deliver positive health and wellbeing impacts. The relationship between engagement with arts and culture, and benefits to health is indirect but strong – as evidenced by various credible international and national research sources.
The need to use all available tools in facing Australia’s health challenges
Even before COVID-19, Australia was facing numerous significant healthcare concerns, including an aging population, increasing incidence of dementia, and declines in social cohesion – all leading to a range of negative health outcomes.
Australia has strong policies about using arts and culture to influence the social determinants of health — that is, the conditions in which we grow, live, work and age, including how strong our social networks are, lifestyle factors, and psychological states However, these policies are often not being systematically implemented.
For all these reasons, it is critical that Australia takes a systematic and strategic approach to developing a strong, rich cultural life that enhances the health and wellbeing of our nation.
Why use arts and culture to build a healthier Australia?
Research shows that engagement with arts and cultural activities reduces health risks, particularly for mental health and other risks directly influenced by the existence of social networks.
Arts and cultural engagement has been shown to: enhance social inclusion; reduce loneliness; increase confidence; and improve feelings of self-worth. These outcomes, in turn, have a direct and positive impact on both physical and mental health.
In fact, in 2016 Australian researchers produced the first dose-response-style study of arts and mental health, showing that two-hour “doses” of creative activities per week could enhance mental wellbeing in a general population.
Arts and cultural tools have also been successfully used to improve outcomes in terms of both prevention and treatment of physical illnesses and diseases.
