Arts on Prescription Partnership Expands Its Impact Through New Regional and Transnational Initiatives

The Arts on Prescription partnership continues to grow beyond its original scope, giving rise to two important spin-off initiatives that strengthen the connection between culture, health, and mental well-being across the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) and beyond. ArtWell Net – the Arts for Health and Well-being Network and the Baltic Sea Mental Health Platform (BSR Mental Health) build directly on the knowledge, partnerships, and evidence developed through Arts on Prescription, scaling up its impact through networking, policy development, and cross-sector collaboration.

Together, these initiatives reflect a shared ambition: to move cultural and community-based approaches for mental health from project level to sustainable systems change.

ArtWell Net: Building a Transnational Network for Arts, Health, and Well-being

ArtWell Net – Arts for Health and Well-being Network brings together professionals from the cultural and health sectors to create a shared space for learning, exchange, and collaboration. Emerging from the Arts on Prescription partnership, the network responds to the growing need for stronger cross-sector capacity and shared understanding of how arts and culture can support mental health, social connection, and community resilience.

By connecting artists, cultural organisations, health practitioners, researchers, and policymakers, ArtWell Net aims to build a vibrant professional network that fosters innovation and strengthens collaboration across sectors and borders. Through dialogue, joint training activities, peer learning, and knowledge sharing, the initiative encourages new ways of thinking about cultural participation as a core component of health promotion and prevention.

ArtWell Net also supports long-term capacity building, helping partners translate project-based experiences into sustainable practices and policies. In doing so, it contributes to more inclusive and resilient societies where culture and health work hand in hand.

Project details:

• Full name: Arts for Health and Well-being Network
• Duration: 1 September 2025 – 31 August 2027
• Financing agency: Swedish Institute
• Budget: SEK 1,999,585

Lead Partner:
Sunderby Folk High School, Sweden

Partners:
Region Norrbotten (SE), Westpomeranian Region (PL), Kolomyia City Council (UA), NDPHS Secretariat (SE)

Project website: https://www.sunderbyfolkhogskola.se/projekt/artwell-net-arts-for-health-and-well-being-network/

Baltic Sea Mental Health Platform: From Projects to Policy and Systemic Change

The Baltic Sea Mental Health Platform (BSR Mental Health) represents a major step forward in scaling up the results of Arts on Prescription and other pioneering initiatives. Recognised as an Operation of Strategic Importance, the platform outlines a modern, resilient approach to mental healthcare in the region—one that integrates non-clinical cultural, artistic, and physical activities into public health systems.

Mental ill-health rates across the Baltic Sea Region are alarmingly high, driven by successive societal crises and increasing pressure on primary healthcare systems. The platform responds to this challenge by promoting a cross-sectoral approach, recognising that the health sector alone cannot meet growing demand. Education, culture, sport, social services, and community settings all play a vital role in promoting mental well-being.

Building directly on Arts on Prescription and consolidating outcomes from 13 EU-funded projects, the platform transforms accumulated knowledge into actionable policy recommendations for national and regional decision-makers. It provides robust evidence to support political recognition and systematic adoption of community-based, non-medical interventions—particularly for people with mild to moderate mental health conditions.

Project details:

• Full name: Baltic Sea Mental Health Platform
• Duration: July 2025 – June 2028
• Budget: €1.2 million
• Financing agency: Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme 2021–2027

Lead Partner:
NDPHS Secretariat (Coordinator of Policy Area Health, EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region)

Project Partners:
Poznań University of Life Sciences (PL), Odense Municipality (DK), International Sport and Culture Association (DK), Estonian Coalition for Mental Health and Well-being – VATEK (EE)

Project website: https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/bsr-mental-health/

First Joint Event: Arts on Prescription Meets ArtWell Net

A concrete example of the growing synergy between Arts on Prescription and ArtWell Net was their first joint open meeting, which brought together stakeholders from across the culture and health sectors to exchange knowledge, reflect on project outcomes, and explore opportunities for future cooperation.

The meeting highlighted the increasing recognition of the intersection between arts and health as a key driver of societal well-being. Participants shared experiences and lessons learned from Arts on Prescription, discussed the ambitions and structure of ArtWell Net, and connected ongoing initiatives at regional, national, and European levels.

Event overview
The hybrid event took place on Friday, 12 December 2025, from 10:00 to 12:00 (CET), with participants joining both online via Zoom and on-site in Stockholm. It attracted practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders with an interest in arts and health initiatives in general, and Arts on Prescription in particular.

Programme highlights included:

• An introduction to the ArtWell Net project and its objectives
• Key outcomes and experiences from Arts on Prescription in the Baltic Sea Region
• A presentation on Arts on Prescription in Kolomyia, Ukraine, by Dmytro Kopyltsiv and Mariana Kodina
• Insights from the Baltic Sea Mental Health Platform, including updates from a high-level meeting and related initiatives presented by NDPHS (Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being)
• A contribution from Culture Action Europe, presented by Kornelia Kiss, Head of Culture and Health
• Reflections from the National Academy for Social Prescribing, presented by Bea Walker
• An open discussion on how participants can collaborate more effectively and learn from each other going forward

The joint event marked an important step in strengthening cross-border dialogue and transforming shared knowledge into coordinated action. It demonstrated how Arts on Prescription continues to inspire new partnerships, platforms, and networks, reinforcing its role as a catalyst for collaboration across Europe.

From Arts on Prescription to Lasting Impact

ArtWell Net and the Baltic Sea Mental Health Platform show how Arts on Prescription has evolved from a pilot intervention into a catalyst for long-term systems change. By combining professional networking, evidence-based policy work, and practical collaboration, these initiatives ensure that arts and culture remain central to future mental health and well-being strategies across the Baltic Sea Region.

More interest in collaborating on Arts on Prescription?

Join the newly established International Arts on Prescription Collaborative (IAPC)!

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