Recap of the #CultureForHealth Culture and Well-being Forum

We are still in awe from the three days of Culture For Health policy dialogue, roundtables, workshops and conversations that we experienced at the Culture and Well-being Forum that took place last week in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

We were glad to co-organise the first day ideathon, where culture and health sector experts, researchers, local, regional and EU-level policy makers and pracititoneers tested policy recommendations on how to address global health and social challenges more effectively by harnessing the power of culture to create solutions.

The ideathon was followed by two days of public conference sessions on the following topics: “Culture and Health Policy”; “Frameworks and Tools for Measuring Cultural Impacts on Well-being”; “Arts, Urban Design and Well-being”; “Culture and Work-related Well-being Policy”. Together, we searched for an answer to the common question “How to programme cultural initiatives for health and well-being?” Read more here.

Our health and wellbeing can truly benefit from engaging with culture. The pilot projects presented and the new Culture for Health report prove this fact. For example: singing in groups can help young mothers avoid depression and artistic activities can increase empathy and reduce loneliness among young people. However, one of the conclusions of the diverse discussions suggest that in order to create truly holistic policy actions and programs for the well-being of individuals as well as society as a whole, we need to look beyond culture and health sectors and involve other sectors as well (for example, social sector and private businesses, etc.).

Once more: many thanks to the amazing hosts of the third #CultureForHealth study-visit and organisers of the Culture and Well-being Forum 2022: Centrul Cultural Clujean!

If you could not join the forum, please join us in the next step! Save the date: 24 November and register for the online Culture For Health Report Launch here.

 #CultureForHealth is a project co-funded by the European Commission and implemented by Culture Action Europe (the project manager), Trans Europe Halles, Region Midtjylland, Centrul Cultural Clujean, Društvo Asociacija and us – the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture. More info: http://www.cultureforhealth.eu