Latvian Webinar - Referral to cultural activities

Representatives of Latvian local authorities and other interested parties are invited to participate in a free webinar Referral to cultural activities. A model for cultural, social and health cooperation in municipalities. Representatives of Cēsis and Saldus municipality, both partners in the Interreg BSR project Arts on Prescription in the Baltic Sea Region, will share their experience in implementing the internationally recognised cross-sectoral cooperation model. The webinar will conclude with a creative writing meditation led by poet Krista Anna Belševica.

The webinar is held in Latvian language only!

If you are interested, please register for the webinar by 22 April HERE (external link to the registration website of Cēsis municipality). Places are limited.

The project Arts on Prescription in the Baltic Sea Region (Duration: 2023-2025) is implemented by partners from Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. Arts on prescription is a concept that has already been tested on small scale programs in countries like the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium and Canada. The project adapts the concept to the Baltic Sea Region countries and further develops the concept to a Baltic model - for more information, see this article. The Arts on Prescription (AoP) model we use in our Interreg BSR project is a non-therapy concept that offers participants to engage with arts and creative activities in group settings - with the aim to increase the participants’ creative potential, to improve mental health and social interaction, to build psychological resilience in the face of everyday challenges and thus increase overall wellbeing. More about the Arts on Prescription concept and how it is implemented in different project countries, can be found in this article.

Referral to arts and cultural activities is usually organised by a so-called referral channels, mostly medical or social workers. Self-referral is also possible, based on people's own felt need for emotional support in a non-medical way. The programme lasts 8-12 weeks and includes one or two weekly meetings and art classes in a creative, safe and supportive environment. The programme usually has therapeutic results, but is not considered therapy. It is one of the tools available to municipalities to promote the well-being of their citizens and to imrove health and social services.

The project has developed an overall model for cooperation between the cultural, social and health sectors, defining the roles and tasks of the actors involved. Each of the participating municipalities in Denmark, Latvia, Poland, Germany and Sweden has adapted the model to the local context and is piloting a corresponding programme. Latvia is represented by the municipalities of Cēsisand Saldus, where the second pilot cycle of the programme is underway or in preparation.

During the webinar, representatives of the municipalities - project managers, participating health and social institutions, cultural workers and artists - will share their experiences, first results and conclusions. In the second part of the webinar, participants will be invited to ask questions and engage in a discussion about the potential and implementation of the Arts on Prescription programme in Latvian municipalities. At the end of the webinar, poet Krista Anna Belševica will offer a short insight into a poetry and creative writing lesson, one of the many possible activities that can be included in the Arts on Prescription programmes.