Arts in Health, also known as Arts for Health, is an umbrella term used to describe the domain of using the arts to enhance our (mental) health and well-being. It involves a heterogeneous range of professionals who use the arts in various ways, with different goals and outcomes. The practices of these professionals can be placed on a continuum based on the variety of goals and outcomes, ranging from promoting social connection or well-being to treating (mental) health conditions. Recent discussions in the Netherlands have raised questions about the position of creative arts therapists on this continuum. This opinion paper addresses this issue by providing a brief overview of the development of the profession of creative arts therapists, the working areas of creative arts therapists and the growing evidence base of creative arts therapeutic interventions. The practices of creative arts therapists are positioned on the continuum, where the emphasis on and accountability for the clients’ (mental) health increases and evidence-informed use of the arts within a more clearly delineated and legally safeguarded professional framework are present. Knowing where the practices of creative arts therapists are placed can assist in identifying when to choose creative arts therapists, other professionals combining arts and healthcare, or a combination of professionals.
An emerging body of research indicates that active arts engagement can enhance older adults’ health and experienced well‐being, but scientific evidence is still fragmented. There is a research gap in understanding arts engagement grounded in a multidimensional conceptualization of the value of health and well‐being from older participants’ perspectives. This Dutch nation‐wide study aimed to explore the broader value of arts engagement on older people’s perceived health and well‐being in 18 participatory arts‐based projects (dance, music, singing, theater, visual arts, video, and spoken word) for community‐dwelling older adults and those living in long term care facilities. In this study, we followed a participatory design with narrative‐ and arts‐based inquiry. We gathered micro‐narratives from older people and their (in)formal caregivers (n = 470). The findings demonstrate that arts engagement, according to participants, resulted in (1) positive feelings, (2) personal and artistic growth, and (3) increased meaningful social interactions. This study concludes that art‐based practices promote older people’s experienced well‐being and increase the quality of life of older people. This study emphasizes the intrinsic value of arts engagement and has implications for research and evaluation of arts engagement.
Philanthropy is on the rise in the Dutch visual arts. Fat cash prizes, big-name exhibitions, large-scale renovations, spectacular public artworks, and big scandals are changing the public display of art and undermining the democratic governance of art institutions. While some have critiqued the patron's rise to power, the majority of the art world remains silent, muted by a combination of ignorance and self-censorship. How can we overcome this deadlock and start cultivating a healthy public debate?
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GAMEHEARTS will seek to maximise the value of the European videogame industry ecosystems (hereafter, EVGIE) within a wider social context of the creative and cultural industries (hereafter, CCI). This will consider the importance of the EVGIE in contributing to economic growth, job creation, physical and mental wellbeing, and social and cultural cohesion, by particularly focusing on, how a stronger and closer working relationship between more the traditional and emergent cultural sectors, can work better to create more inclusive and socially responsible cultural experiences. The consortium will offer policy recommendations and roadmaps setting out how the EVGIE can and should develop, and where it could act as a driver for sustained innovation and economic growth. It will utilise an evidence-based approach that focuses not just on videogame development, but rather adopts a holistic ecosystem approach, utilising both established and more innovative methodologies, to consider the competitiveness and development of the EVGIE, and how videogame know-how and technologies could drive innovation in the wider CCI. In doing so, GAMEHEARTS will develop ‘ludic experiences’, to explore possibilities of more inclusive, engaging, and empowering cultural experiences. Working across seven work packages the universities of Salford (UK), Tampere (Finland), Vienna (Austria), Breda University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands), and Wroclaw University of Economics and Business (Poland) will work in parentship with Ubisoft (France) and other major videogame partners and associations (including the ISFE & EGDF) to explore current and future trends in the EVGIE.
JEWELS TOUR is a 4-year project funded by Interreg Europe and dealing with the valorisation of Jewish Cultural Heritage (JCH) in some European cities (Ferrara in Italy, Coimbra in Portugal, Erfurt in Germany, Lublin in Poland, Riga in Latvia, Ośrodek in Poland). Jewish cultural heritage is an integral part of the shared cultural heritage in Europe, and initiatives such as this project bring local stakeholders from different parts of Europe together to investigate the common responsibility of protecting tangible and intangible Jewish heritage. Across Europe, municipalities and local organizations recognize a need to make Jewish heritage accessible, and to do so in a sustainable way, that is in a way that benefit locals as well as visitors, with attention to economic as well as cultural and social benefits. The project aims is to devise policy instruments to promote Jewish cultural heritage, hereby including also digital ones, when possible. Technology is seen as an instrument to collect and share stories with equity, hereby also exploiting the emerging Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage that is promoted at European level.Societal IssueCultural heritage has been increasingly recognised as a strategic asset for an inclusive and sustainable development across Europe, due to its capacity to promote diversity and intercultural dialogue, while contributing to a stronger sense of belonging and mutual respect. The JEWELS TOUR project addresses the challenge of Jewish Cultural Heritage (JCH) discontinuity, reflecting both in a low level of investments and connection between heritage resources and local/regional productive sectors, as well as in the attractiveness regarding the promotion of JC assets as drivers for sustainable tourism and regional development.Benefit to societyIn recent years, Cultural Heritage has been increasingly recognised as a strategic resource for a sustainable and peaceful Europe, due to its capacity to promote diversity and intercultural dialogue, while contributing to a stronger sense of belonging and mutual respect . At EU level, cultural investments are considered as key drivers of territorial development and social cohesion, and as essential elements leading to the promotion of social innovation. JEWELS TOUR contributes to sustainable tourism and social innovation by revaluing Europe’s JCH, reinforcing the sense of belonging and cultural diversity in Europe.Collaborating partnersFerrara Municipality Italy, Breda University of Applied Sciences Advisory Partner Netherlands, Ośrodek "Brama Grodzka - Teatr NN" Partner Poland, Coimbra Municipality Partner Portugal, City of Erfurt Partner Germany, Riga Investment and Tourism Agency Partner Latvia, Lublin Municipality Partner Poland.
Client: European Parliament, Directorate General for Internal Policies, Policy Department B: Structural and Cohesion Policies, Transport and Tourism The impacts, challenges and opportunities caused by the fast-growing sharing economy in tourism are assessed. The report describes the definition, size, and development of the sharing (or collaborative) economy, assessing the (dis-) advantages for the tourism sector, concluding with policy analysis and recommendations. Large parts of the sharing economy are affecting the tourism sector, although its share is very small. The main challenges are taxation and regulation; main opportunities are the innovative power and enhanced competition.
