Arts on Prescription Shows Strong Impact in Northern Sweden

Can art alleviate long-term pain, ease stress and anxiety, and restore confidence? A three-year pilot project in Sweden’s northernmost region, Norrbotten, suggests the answer is yes. As part of the EU-funded project Arts on Prescription in the Baltic Sea Region, residents in Boden and Luleå have taken part in a structured cultural programme aimed at supporting individuals with mild to moderate mental health challenges or chronic pain.

Participants engaged in group-based creative activities, including visual arts, choir singing, and dance, guided by trained instructors. The goal was not the finished artwork, but the process itself — the conversations, reflections, and sense of belonging created through shared cultural experiences.

It’s a way to make yourself visible and express something, said Ricky Sandberg, former art consultant and one of the initiators of the Norrbotten programme. Art challenges you. But it’s also about meeting others and doing something together. It gives you a role and a space in the world.

A Healing Journey Through Art and Community

The project culminated in an art exhibition at the Norrbotten Region House in Luleå, featuring creations from participants such as walking sticks made from natural materials — symbols of life journeys, resilience, and forward movement. The opening ceremony was accompanied by music and testimonies from anonymous participants line the walls:

“Glad, positive and sparkling. Full of inspiration.”
“The art of being human, the chance to be a fellow human.”
“Strengthened and uplifted.”
“Eager, happy, forget time.”
“I’ve learned that I am enough.”
“It has been very enjoyable and rewarding to share thoughts and experiences together.”
“Made me feel like all pain was gone.”
“Here I get to be who I am. Here I belong.”

The exhibition was opened by Regional Councillor Glenn Berggård, who emphasized: Participants have had opportunities for reflection and dialogue using culture as a tool. They’ve gained new perspectives on life. Arts on Prescription is about challenging participants in different ways while creating social belonging and safety within the group.

Evidence-Based and Carefully Evaluated

Anette Winblad von Walter, Head of Culture in Region Norrbotten, has followed the project since its early conception in 2009. She emphasized the importance of thorough evaluation: We know that it means a great deal. And that’s because we’ve done careful monitoring where participants have rated how they feel at the start, and how they feel after the project is completed. The results are clear — Arts on Prescription works.

The creative sessions emphasized process over outcome. Dance activities focused on the joy of movement and freedom from performance pressure, helping release tension and reduce stress. Singing activated feel-good chemicals and reduced stress hormones.

We know that loneliness is a big part of mental illness. When we begin to feel bad, the first thing we often do is isolate ourselves, noted Winblad von Walter. Many participants felt deeply moved by being accepted as they were, and by sharing their journey with others in a non-judgmental space.

I’ve worked with art and culture all my life. I know the power creativity and culture hold — what it can do for a person. It challenges you a little. But it’s also that you meet other people and do something together, said Ricky Sandberg. Art has its own value and meaning — but also the context. That you get a role, a place. It’s a way to make yourself visible and to express something.

Looking Ahead: From Pilot to Practice

The project is entering its final phase: developing sustainable models for long-term implementation. As project partner to the EU Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme, Region Norrbotten worked alongside municipalities in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, led by the municipality of Odense, Denmark.

Glenn Berggård, Regional Councillor, sees great promise in the concept: We can now see that Arts on Prescription has led to increased self-confidence and helped participants move on to work and education. This is a model we need to think about how to take forward and to explore how we can embed this model into our health and cultural systems in Norrbotten.

For some participants, the journey continues. Inspired by the project, they have independently formed a new cultural group through the adult education association ABF — an example of how arts-based health initiatives can spark lasting change.

The exhibition at Regionhuset in Luleå is open from 25 April to 10 June 2025.

This is an edited translation of the Swedish press release by Utveckla Norrbotten. The original news was published on 2025-04-30 at: https://utvecklanorrbotten.se/nyheter/2025/kultur-pa-recept-starker-deltagarna-all-smarta-var-borta/,

© Swedish text and photos: Sara Stylbäck Vesa

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