Prescribing art for mental healthPrescribing art for mental health
All In The Mind
In this time of social isolation, many of us have turned to getting creative...baking bread, picking up a paintbrush, or checking out online theatre performances and virtual gallery tours. Now there’s research on whether prescribing art could help with mental health conditions, such as depression. Take a dose of culture for your wellbeing.
28:56•9 Aug 2020
Prescribing Art: How Culture Can Lift Your Mood
Episode Overview
- Social prescribing links people with non-medical community resources, recognising social and economic factors in mental health.
- Arts on prescription workshops combined guided gallery viewing, informal discussion and art-making for people affected by depression.
- Participants reported improved mood, greater optimism and a stronger sense of belonging after engaging with the art sessions.
- Moving the program online as Culture Dose allowed mindful, themed art engagement to continue during COVID-19 restrictions.
- Guided slow looking and creative response can offer a calming, non-stigmatising way to talk about and manage mental health concerns.
“The arts on prescription program kick-started me out of a dark place.”
What drives someone to seek a life where art is part of their mental health toolkit? This episode of *All In The Mind* looks at how a "dose of culture" might sit alongside traditional care for conditions like depression. You'll hear about social prescribing, explained by Professor Catherine Boydell from the Black Dog Institute.
She outlines how GPs and mental health services can link people with community activities such as art workshops, walking groups or museum visits, especially when issues like housing, debt or isolation are dragging mood down. Instead of focusing only on medication or therapy, the approach widens the lens to include social and cultural support. A standout part of the episode is the "arts on prescription" program run with the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Participants spent eight weeks looking closely at curated artworks, discussing them in a relaxed group setting, then creating their own pieces. One participant reflected, "The arts on prescription program kick-started me out of a dark place," while another said, "I can get through Monday and Tuesday because I have art on Wednesday." Mitch Lewis and Cecile Casanova share their personal experiences, describing how gentle, non-judgemental art sessions boosted their confidence, eased depression and created a sense of belonging.
Cecile particularly valued simply being alongside others making art: "We were all in that moment... I really valued that." When COVID-19 hit, the team shifted to an online format called Culture Dose. Program producer Danielle Gulotta explains how slow looking, mindful breathing and guided reflection around themes like "joy in everyday life" helped people stay grounded and connected from home.
With a mix of research, real stories and practical examples, this episode offers a fresh perspective for anyone curious about adding creativity to their mental health support. Could a regular date with art be the mood lift you've been looking for?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.