hhhh

What is it about?

The third topic of Voices of Culture 2021 – 2023 generated project ideas and policy recommendations for the cultural and creative sectors and decision-makers on the topic of the role of the cultural and creative sectors in improving mental health of young people.

Why is it important?

More than one in six people across EU countries had a mental health problem in 2016, well before the pandemic. “Mental health problems cover a wide range of illnesses, including disorders such as mild or moderate anxiety and depression, drug and alcohol use disorders, and severe disorders such as severe depression, bipolar disorders, and schizophrenia” (OECD/EU 2018). Mental health problems can be caused or aggravated by behavioural and environmental factors.

Worldwide and in the EU, there are numerous cultural and creative projects that address at different levels the mental health and wellbeing of young people, in terms of promotion, prevention, treatment, and management.

The recent scoping review promoted by WHO acknowledges that the aesthetic and emotional components of arts activities can provide opportunities for emotional expression, emotion regulation – intrinsic to how we manage our mental health – and stress reduction. Evidence is also abundant on the preventive benefits of arts engagement in relation to mental health. The Report shows how playing and listening to music, dancing, art and visiting cultural sites are all associated with stress management and prevention, lower levels of biological stress in daily life and lower daily anxiety. Cultural participation can also help to reduce the risk of developing mental illness such as depression in adolescence. Participating in arts activities can build self-esteem, self-acceptance, confidence, and self-worth, which are protective against mental illness.

For a more detailed overview of the topic, please read the framework paper by our topic expert Annalisa Cicerchia.

How did we do it?

Successful applicants were invited to a Brainstorming Meeting at Goethe-Institut Brussels on the 04.10.2022 – 05.10.2022 and to a Dialogue Meeting at Goethe-Institut Brussels on the 08.12.2022 to share their input on several areas of discussion:

• Evidence on the contribution of the cultural and creative sectors to improving the mental health and well-being of young people, at national and international level.
• Synergies with other policy fields (health, education, social welfare, etc.) to maximize results.
• Examples of interventions where there is robust evidence of successful outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged young people. Conditions for success of such interventions.

Voices of Culture participants wrote a Brainstorming Report after the Brainstorming Meeting. In this report, the results of the discussion between participants at the Brainstorming Meeting were expressed. Afterwrds, the report got presented by participants to the European Commission at the Dialogue Meeting.

Please be aware that Voices of Culture is a platform for dialogue between the cultural sector and the European Commission provided by the European Commission. The Voices of Culture team only facilitates this process and is not responsible for writing the Brainstorming Report. This responsibility lies with participants. Voices Of Culture will be covering participant’s travel expenses associated with this topic.

Who participated?

Through an open call for applications, the following 53 organizations were chosen to participate in the structured dialogue on the topic Youth, Mental Health and Culture:

• Africans and African-Europeans Association
• Aksion Plus
• AMAT-AH Publishing
• ARTS for HEALTH AUSTRIA
• Arts in Health Groningen
• ASOCIACIÓN CULTURAL BERDE
• Associació Sociocultural l’Altre Festival
• Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen (AEC)
• Athens Comics Library
• Aventura Social, Association
• Bozar – Centre for Fine Arts
• Cavan Monaghan Arts and Health Forum
• Centro Asistencial San Juan de Dios
• Circus of Knowledge at Johannes Kepler University, Linz
• Club Medici Associazione
• Cluj Cultural Centre
• Copenhagen Bombay / OXY Magazine
• Culture Action Europe
• Cultuurcoach Leiden
• DEAR Onlus
• Department of Mental Health – Local Health Authority Roma 2
• Erasmus Mundus Association
• European Choral Association
• European Music Council
• Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)
• Fondazione Fitzcarraldo
• Fundación Iberoamericana de las Industrias Culturales y Creativas
• International Play Association
• Koklētāju kopa “Austras Koks”
• LKCA (National Center of Expertise on Cultural Education and Amateur Arts)
• LSU (The National Council of Swedish Youth Organisations)
• MinD Mad in Design
• Mirsal ry
• MTÜ Peaasjad
• National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge
• One Resilient Earth
• Other Ways to Care
• Pražský inovační institut
• Pro Progressione
• Public Health Action Hub (PHAH)
• RED NOSES International
• Reims 2028
• Rhythmic Music Conservatory
• Salzburg Global Seminar
• Sosped Foundation
• Stadt Mülheim an der Ruhr / Department of Health, Social, Work and Culture
• Szegedi Orvostanhallgatók Egyesülete / Hungarian Medical Students’ International Relations Committee Local Committee of Szeged.
• The Starving Artist
• Theatre of Yes
• UNIMA Germany
• Università Parthenope
• University of Gdańsk
• Workshop Foundation
• Youth Support Centre
• Zikkurat Projekt Kulturális Egyesület

How to apply?

IMPORTANT: Please read this framework paper by our expert Annalisa Cicerchia before filling in the application.

The call for application is closed now.

Application deadline: 13.07.2022

Announcement of results: 20.07.2022

This Voices Of Culture topic is taking place in the context of the European Year of Youth 2022.