Social arts projects for human well-being

Abstract

Introduction: Social arts projects can promote community's health and well-being; improve mental, emotional and psychic health of the users of health, education and social care services; build up and/or perfect environment for staff and service users; encourage a more effective communication; provide opportunities for artists to develop artistic practices, use creativity for community building, socialization and health promotion. As shown by studies in Western countries (Staricoff; Duncan), integration of arts into practices of health care institutions has a positive effect on the recovery process - it allows shorter outpatient care, supportive care or hospitalization time, improves patients' well-being, increases employee job statisfaction and quality of services provided. The research also shows that cultural activity and creativity has a significant impact on human well-being and state of health in general (Kilrou; Garner; Parkinson; Kagan). Aim: The goal of the project is to assess the impact of art on psychosocial and psychic well-being of customers and staff of health care and social services institutions. The project "Arts for human well-being" focuses on the following tasks: to increase individuals' social participation and reduce social exclusion by enabling accessibility of art; to strengthen health of customers of health care and social services institutions' by enriching their occupations with engagement in artistic activities; to have positive effects on psychological climate of health care institutions by changing/humanixzing the interior. [...].