Arts, Culture and Mental Health in Focus at Bremen Expert and Knowledge Transfer Conference

On 13 May 2025, around 60 professionals, practitioners and stakeholders gathered at the Bremen Adult Education Centre (Bremen vhs) for the expert conference Mental Health – Arts and Culture in Health Promotion and Prevention. The event was organised by the Coordination Office for Equal Health Opportunities Bremen at the State Association for Health and Academy for Social Medicine Lower Saxony Bremen (LVG & AFS Nds. HB e. V.), together with partners from the Interreg BSR project Arts on Prescription Baltic Sea Region at Bremen vhs and the Senator for Health, Women and Consumer Protection (SGFV). The event was co-funded by the Interreg BSR programme.

A Conference Exploring Creativity as a Path to Well-being

Following a warm welcome from representatives of Bremen vhs, the SGFV and LVG & AFS, the conference opened with a keynote by Heiner Stahn, Senator for Culture, underlining the growing importance of artistic engagement as a contribution to public health and helth prevention.

This was followed by a series of inspiring sessions that highlighted the potential of cultural participation in strengthening mental health.
Professor Dr. Uwe Gonther (AMEOS Klinikum) offered insights into the relationship between mental well-being and artistic activity, drawing on extensive clinical research and practice.

The second keynote by Christine Fuchs (link to the presentation), artist, art therapist and representative of Stadtkultur Netzwerk Bayerischer Städte, demonstrated how artistic therapies and cultural education can be systematically integrated into health promotion. Participants gained new perspectives on how arts-based approaches can support people across different stages of life and health circumstances.

Learning from Practice

Voices from the field contributed vivid, real-life examples of how artistic programmes are already making an impact.
Speakers included:

• Leonie Koch, Kunst auf Rezept programme at Bremen vhs

• Frauke Kötter, Kultur vor Ort e. V.

• Karolin Oesker, Blaumeier-Atelier e. V.

• Michaela Uhlemann-Lantow, Wilde Bühne Bremen e. V.

Their contributions showcased a broad spectrum of successful artistic interventions and community initiatives that help reduce social isolation, support personal growth and strengthen mental health resilience.

Art in Practice: Creative Workshops

In the afternoon, participants were invited to experience the Arts on Prescription approach themselves.
Three workshops offered hands-on artistic engagement combined with reflection on how creative expression supports psychological well-being:

• Creative Writing & Poetry
  Led by Donka Dimova, moderated by Abier Saad

• Group Singing
  Led by Stefanie Lubrich, moderated by Leonie Koch

• Painting with Acrylics – Free Artistic Exploration
  Led by Mechtild Pfeiffer, moderated by Imke Seifert

These sessions created space for shared experience, creativity and exchange—allowing participants to feel firsthand the positive impact of artistic participation.

Outlook: Continuing the Dialogue

The conference concluded with reflections from Imke Seifert (SGFV) and Marle Albert (LVG & AFS), who emphasised the strong demand for continued exchange on the link between art, culture and health promotion. Given the high level of interest, the organisers announced plans for a follow-up event, to which both current participants and additional interested parties will be invited.

With its combination of expert insights, practical examples and creative experiences, the conference demonstrated how culture can play a vital role in promoting mental health and supporting more resilient communities – locally in Bremen and across the Baltic Sea Region.

Programme Manual Online

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