We’ve been conducting studies for several years to explore the role of the arts in both preventing and managing ill health. As well as revealing health benefits from targeted creative activities, our analysis of large population datasets (cohort studies) has uncovered links between general arts engagement and better health across the lifespan.
The World Health Organization are therefore working with us to explore how governments can ensure more equitable access to arts and culture for public health, and more arts projects in clinical and community settings to support a range of specific health outcomes.
Now, we want to track how policymakers are responding to this globally. We have therefore created a repository and mapping tool for international policy documents, from which we have begun to assess how health ministries, arts ministries/councils, local government and cross government partnerships are realising the potential of the arts to support health and wellbeing.
We endeavour to update the mapping tool regularly, but at least twice a year. We encourage partners to send us documents to add; this can include policy setting documents or strategies, policy evaluations or progress reports and policy recommendations. Please send these to sbbresearch@ucl.ac.uk.