European Network of Cultural Centres (ENCC)
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Culture Action Europe's position paper on Culture, Health and Well-being

Cae
An ever-growing body of evidence points to the fact that engaging in cultural and creative activities promotes health.

Download the paper here.

Back in November 2022, during the annual Culture Action Europe (CAE) conference, we and other members of the network took part in the establishment of a group focused on Culture and Well-being. Participants discussed the policy recommendations from the CultureForHealth Report, reflected on challenges, and identified next steps for action and advocacy. Key action areas identified included:

  • Strategic and financial support: emphasis on financing arts and health interventions from combined budgets and ensuring fair remuneration for artists and cultural workers.

  • Knowledge and awareness building: addressing difficulties in cross-sector collaboration, particularly with the health sector, and avoiding the instrumentalization of culture.

  • Training and peer learning: highlighting the need for capacity building for artists and training facilitators, especially from minority backgrounds.

  • Localising R&D and policy discussions: focusing on adapting research and policy discussions to local contexts.

Follow-up discussions were held online, culminating in a meeting in Greece in June 2023, where we explored the concept of care and discussed culture’s contribution to social well-being and the EU’s comprehensive approach to mental health. The contribution of the 185 participants resulted in a collaborative document titled The Elefsina Manifesto: Envisioning a Culture of Care”. The Manifesto serves as a rallying call to artists, cultural organisations and professionals to embrace  politics and ethics of care as a fundamental element of our collective work. Through the two representatives of the ENC office that joined the event, we as ENCC especially contributed to the section dedicated to: care and mental health and care for the work of culture.

This path lead to the the preparation of a position paper on Culture, Health and Well-being, that was published on September 23rd, 2024. The paper highlights the significant impact of culture and artistic activities on health and well-being, drawing on evidence from reports by the WHO and CultureForHealth. It advocates for integrating cultural practices into healthcare systems to prevent illnesses, support mental health, and enhance care experiences. We call for cross-sectoral collaboration between the culture, health, and social sectors, urging the creation of joint funding streams and strategies. We recommend capacity-building, research, and policy reforms to harness the benefits of culture for well-being across the EU.