Art and Health

The role of contemporary art practices in achieving health is the focus of this module. The WHO defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” and for art practitioners this can be viewed in two distinct manners: the idea of creativity as part of personal development or the idea of using contemporary art as a tool to enable others to achieve health. In both of these approaches, in order to reach the goal of health and wellbeing there are four areas of focus - prevention, promotion, management, and treatment. This module uses this as a framework to introduce the fields of arts and health practice, social prescribing, social design, art as therapy, and art therapy. 

To provide a grounding for learners interested in art as therapy, there will be an introduction to historical understandings in psychology, such as behavioural, cognitive, psychodynamic, and humanist approaches, and an exploration of the tensions between art as a profession and art as personal development. This section of the module is learner-focused, with the goal of designing a personal development plan for each learner. 

Art and health practices recognise community as a significant source of health and wellbeing, requiring an introductory understanding of issues around society, community and social exclusion. Art and health processes and practices rely on, and intervene in, social contexts, requiring an understanding of how to design interventions, build social capital, and use a range of communication and assessment skills.

The Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages (SDG 3) is central to the underlying ethos of this module.

1. Discuss the role of arts in health, with reference to the WHO definition of health and the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3.

2. Explore key historical approaches to psychology and frameworks of reflective practice in the creation of a personal development plan.

3. Identify approaches to society, community, social capital, and social exclusion necessary for the effective design of art in health interventions.

4. Describe the broad fields of arts and health practice, social prescribing, and social design.

5. Recognise the iterative stages of the social design process and the importance of effective documentation and communication of the outcomes of art in health interventions.