The arts offer an evidence-based solution for promoting mental health. While practicing the arts is not the panacea for all mental health challenges, there’s enough evidence to support prioritizing arts in our own lives at home as well as in our education systems.
Arts allows our mind to work through unconscious themes, its ability in externalising inner thoughts helps us to take those thoughts that can whirl around in our minds out. Some helpful ways of doing this are through creating with clay, painting a picture, or making a collage.
There is strong evidence suggesting that arts can reduce loneliness and isolation, this is something that has become prevalent during the pandemic. Arts for life hope to work with people feeling isolated or lonely, through connecting within the community or online via zoom with other people facing the challenges of isolation.
Research has also shown that arts can benefit the prevention of mental and physical ill-health. The results show benefits, including enhancing aspects of pleasure, flourishing, and quality of life.
Arts for Life will be working in the community and collaborating with other community groups to promote well-being through the arts. Our organisation will use a variety of arts, such as music, visual arts, and performance to connect with these groups.
Art in mind is a community arts group that Arts for life has previously collaborated with. They have created a Youtube channel on art activity tutorials and mental well-being benefits.