Arts on Prescription legacy continues: From local implementation to global recognition

Although the Arts on Prescription in the Baltic Sea Region (AoP) project has officially concluded, its jointly developed solutions continue to create impact at local, national and international level.

Over three years, partners from Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Poland, Sweden, Finland and Lithuania developed, tested and transferred a comprehensive Arts on Prescription model that enables public authorities and cultural organisations to establish sustainable arts-based mental health programmes. The project delivered a transferable programme concept, an online Practitioner’s Guide, training materials, an evaluation framework and policy recommendations that support the implementation and scaling of Arts on Prescription across the Baltic Sea Region and beyond – see here a pilot story with key achievements and links.

The project’s legacy is already visible in continued local implementation. In Bremen, Germany, Bremer Volkshochschule has published its final report on the successful Kunst auf Rezept pilot. The report documents the experiences gained during implementation, highlights the strong demand and positive participant feedback, and provides practical insights for organisations interested in establishing similar programmes. Building on these achievements, Bremen has established the Competence Centre “Kunst auf Rezept – Netzwerk Kultur und Gesundheit”, ensuring that the project’s results continue to be transferred into practice and further developed.

At the same time, the project’s scientific evidence is gaining international recognition. The Jameel Arts & Health Lab, established by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, New York University Steinhardt, Community Jameel and CULTURUNNERS, recently highlighted research emerging from the AoP project as part of its global efforts to strengthen evidence-based Arts on Prescription.

The featured publication, led by researchers from the University of Southern Denmark, identifies 48 implementation strategies for successfully delivering and sustaining Arts on Prescription programmes. Drawing on both international evidence and stakeholder experiences from real-world implementation, the study provides practical guidance on awareness raising, capacity building, organisational set-up, programme delivery and evaluation, key building blocks that are also reflected in the AoP Practitioner’s Guide developed within the project.

The Jameel Arts & Health Lab promotes scientific evidence and policy implementation on arts and health across all 193 UN Member States. Its dissemination of AoP-results demonstrates the international relevance of the project’s jointly developed methodology and supports the wider uptake of Arts on Prescription as an innovative, evidence-informed approach to improving mental health and wellbeing.

The continued implementation in partner regions and the growing international recognition of the project’s results underline the lasting value of transnational cooperation in developing sustainable public health solutions that bridge the health and cultural sectors.

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