Culture and Health: Towards Sustainable Cross-Sectoral Cooperation in Latvia

15 October, 9:00–16:30 EEST
Live on LSM.lv

Culture and art are increasingly being viewed not only as forms of creative expression but also as a public health resource that helps people regain emotional balance, reduce loneliness, and promote well-being. This is also demonstrated by the international project “Arts on Prescription in the Baltic Sea Region 2023–2025”, which aims to establish effective cooperation between the cultural and health sectors. The project is being implemented by partners from Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia, with the support of the EU Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme.

As the project concludes, Latvia will host for the first time an international conference dedicated to cooperation between the fields of culture and health. The conference will bring together policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and NGO representatives from several European countries to share experiences and explore the question: How can culture become a sustainable source for strengthening health and well-being in society?

Keynote speeches will be delivered by Nils Fietje (Research Specialist, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe), Ülla-Karin Nurm (Director of the Secretariat, Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being), and Dace Resele (Acting Head of the Secretariat, Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture).

Commenting on the growing recognition of culture’s role in public health, Nils Fietje noted: "Research is increasingly showing how cultural activities, and engagement in the arts can have a measurable impact on our health and well-being. As such, culture is an important part of an eco-system of healing that has been largely untapped, particularly at the national policy level. I am very pleased that Latvia is taking the steps to build resilient cross-sectoral culture and health cooperation in Latvia."

The first part of the conference will present the experiences of Finland, France, and Lithuania in implementing national and regional culture and health programs. The second part will focus on the Arts on Prescription Baltic Model and the Latvian pilot projects. In these projects, participants were referred to cultural activities by health and social care professionals, while the activities themselves were led by trained cultural practitioners and artists. The research on the impact of the pilot projects on participants’ mental health and well-being will be presented by researchers from the University of Southern Denmark and Turku University of Applied Sciences.

In the Cēsis municipality’s pilot programme “Museums on Prescription”, main referral channels were the Cēsis Clinic and the Social Services Department of the municipality. Social worker Santa Asare shared: “In my view — and my clients also told me — those were very valuable, interesting activities, and they enjoyed it. They were in a community where they were accepted as they are. They were seen as people of value. I heard only the most positive feedback from them. One person started working after this project. Another became a regular visitor to the library. These are positive changes in people’s lives.” Occupational therapist Baiba Gorovenko highlighted: “Physical and mental health go hand in hand - they can’t be separated. If you don’t have the right mood, you won’t do anything physically. Sometimes I don’t feel like it, but I make myself go to a cultural activity - and that’s how I work on my mental health.”

In Saldus Municipality, the project managers, in cooperation with family doctors, implemented the “Arts on Prescription” program, giving people the opportunity to participate in creative activities upon the recommendation of a doctor or specialist. Family doctor Līga Vaģele (“Eikalipts”, Saldus) emphasized that the idea is very worthwhile and necessary, noting that she and her colleague Dr. Pūce fully support such programs that help improve people’s mental health and enable family doctors to provide a holistic approach to patient care. As one of the participants shared, for the first time in many years, they managed to get through the dark and damp months with enthusiasm, joy, and hope.

In the afternoon (13:30–14:30), in-person participants will be able to take part in practical workshops, offering opportunities both to improve mental well-being through creative activities and to discuss policy developments in the field of culture and health. Online viewers of the conference will have the opportunity to follow the workshop led by the Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being which will focus on “The Role of Culture and Community-Based Approaches in Health Promotion”.

The conference will conclude with a panel discussion on the potential and future vision for cooperation between the cultural and health sectors in Latvia, moderated by Marta Krivade (World Health Organization Latvia). Cēsis and Saldus municipalities will present their plans for the continuation of the AoP programmes and the further development of collaboration between their cultural and health institutions.The conference will result in a summary document with recommendations for further action.

The event will be held in Latvian and English, with full interpretation in both languages (except for the workshop part). The conference will be broadcast online in Latvian and English on LSM.lv, and in Latvian on the Cēsis Municipality Facebook page and the Saldus Municipality YouTube channel.

Conference moderator: Armands Simsons

The conference is one of the concluding events of the “Arts on Prescription in the Baltic Sea Region 2023–2025” project in Latvia, co-financed by the European Union / Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme.

Contact information

Inga Surgunte
Project “Arts on Prescription in the Baltic Sea Region 2023–2025”
Manager, Cēsis Municipality
inga.surgunte@skaidrs.org
+371 29953235

Andra Kauliņa-Ostrovska
Project “Arts on Prescription in the Baltic Sea Region 2023–2025”
Manager, Saldus Municipality
andra.kaulina-ostrovska@saldus.lv