Policy launch event – New EU Report on “Culture and Health: Time to Act”

The seminar, which introduces the latest development in the culture & health field to a Latvian policy context, brings together health and cultural policymakers to discuss strengthening cross-sectoral cooperation in the region and country.

Note: The event is invite-only.

Date: 25 March 2026

Place: Paula Stradiņa Clinical University Hospital, Riga (Latvia)

Context

In line with research-based policy initiatives supported by the European Commission and the World Health Organisation, culture is increasingly seen as a significant component of health and social care. This means that purposefully designed cultural activities can help people feel better both physically and emotionally – from improving the hospital environment to building inclusive communities. 

In 2025, the European Commission also published a report entitled ‘Culture and Health. Time to Act’, in which countries are called upon to promote cooperation between the cultural, health and social sectors in order to develop such initiatives in a more targeted manner – both by better responding to people’s needs and by planning health and social care systems more effectively.  

Latvia has already begun implementing such initiatives, and several local examples are included in the report as good practice.  

To promote development in this area, a seminar to launch the EC report will take place on 25 March 2026 at the Paula Stradiņa Clinical University Hospital. Policy makers at the Latvian local and national level in the fields of culture, health, and social care will participate.  

The seminar is being organised in collaboration with the Paula Stradiņa Clinical University Hospital by the ‘Culture and Health’ working group, which involves several institutions, including the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Health, the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the‘Culture and Health’ association, and the Secretariat of the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (CARE project partner).

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