Iris Project

The Iris Project has researched the impact of art and wellbeing. The following summary is an overview of a paper written recently. This paper then follows. This paper is in two sections, Part 1 the Impact of Art on Adults and Part 2 the Impact of Art on younger people. The research paper in its entirety follows this summary of key points and short videos of field work currently being done.

Mental health problems and wellbeing issues are prevalent in Australia and throughout the world at this time, and creative interventions such as social prescribing and creativity-as-therapy are becoming increasingly popular as adjunct treatments to clinical and pharmacological interventions.

There is a growing body of evidence that supports the efficacy of art engagement in promoting health and wellbeing. Neuroscience research shows that engaging in the visual arts is particularly health-enhancing, and the success of social prescribing in the UK and Germany has led to its endorsement in Australia by peak bodies and health organisations.

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Art activities have been found to reduce the side effects of cancer treatment, reduce anxiety and pain in hospital settings, and manage or treat mental illness (e.g., depression and anxiety) in children and young people. Dance has been found to provide improvements in motor skills for people with Parkinson’s disease. The arts have also been found to have a positive impact on healthy eating, physical activity, mental wellbeing, and social health as in reducing alcohol use and harm from alcohol.

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The use of arts has also been studied for its impact on people with health issues such as cancer and chronic pain. Studies have shown that art-making can support subjective wellbeing and help individuals maintain a social identity that is not completely by their illness.

It’s fascinating to see how art and neuroscience intersect and how engagement in art can have a positive impact on cognitive function, mental wellbeing, and overall health. Studies show that participation in art activities can keep the brain healthy, improve cognitive function, and reduce stress and anxiety. Art participation can also help older adults to maintain their sense of control, identity, and self-esteem, which can be particularly important for those in aged care.

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Neurological research has found that making art can produce new neural pathway sand strengthen connections between brain cells. Which lead to improved communication between those cells. This, in turn, can help to prevent mental decline in older adults. It’s also been found that engaging in sensory exploration through art activities is part of ‘neurobics’, which are brain exercises that utilize senses in non-routine ways to help maintain healthy brain function.

Wellbeing is a holistic term that encompasses different dimensions of a person’s state, including physiological, psychological, social and behavioural aspects, and is dependent on a person’s resources and responses to the environment.

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Studies have also found that experiencing art can activate the brains reward pathways, which can promote feelings of pleasure and happiness. Even simply viewing art can have a positive impact on mental wellbeing, and can reduce stress levels. It’s interesting to note that the parts of the brain that are activated when viewing art are the same as those when experiencing beauty through music.

In the physiological domain, art engagement has been found to lower stress hormone response, enhance immune function, reduce pain and blood pressure, improve motor skills, and strengthen neural networks, among other benefits. In terms of social benefits, art engagement has been found to reduce loneliness and isolation, improve social relations and connect individuals to others.

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The benefits of art engagement for children and youth’s mental and social wellbeing include improved self-esteem, resilience, emotional regulation and positive emotions.

Structured arts activities also contribute to positive mental well being by increasing confidence, self-expression, and self-understanding. The research also suggests that arts activities can be used as a means of promoting health messages, building capacities and stimulating discussions about community issues.

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Art for wellbeing is a series of online art experiences that are designed to promote health and wellbeing through a range of calming, enjoyable exploratory, sensory actively engaging and expressive experiences with a focus on the creative process.

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