Three Years of Arts on Prescription in Bremen - Closing Transfer Event in December 2025

05 January 2026

Closing event of the Bremen pilot project promoting mental health

Since 2023, the Arts on Prescription in the Baltic Sea Region project has been implemented at the Bremen vhs (adult education centre) in a joint collaboration with the Ministry for Health, Women, and Consumer Protection, and the Ministry for Culture of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen.

#ArtsOnPrescription in Bremen forms part of a wider pilot programme in the Baltic Sea Region and has been jointly implemented from 2023 to 2025 by partners from Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden. Bremen is the only federal state in Germany participating in the initiative. At the German closing event held on 11 December 2025 at the Bremen vhs, the focus was on the evaluation results and the future prospects of the project in Bremen.

The primary aim of #ArtsOnPrescription (AoP) is to promote mental health. The basic idea behind the AoP concept is that people dealing with mild to moderate mental health problems such as stress, anxiety or depression as well as those at risk of developing such conditions (e.g. due to loneliness) get a prescription not for medicine or therapy, but for participating free of charge in art and culture courses in group settings. The prescription can be received from general practitioners, medical specialists or psychotherapists, and it allows them to attend artistic and cultural activities from the open programme offered by Bremen vhs.

In addition to course participation, participants meet in dedicated AoP groups to reflect on their experiences and discuss the relationship between artistic activity and mental well-being. Unlike comparable programmes in other countries, Bremen tested an inclusive model: selected regular courses from the adult education centre’s open cultural programme were opened to participants with an art prescription, rather than creating separate, closed groups.

Claudia Bernhard, Senator for Health, Women and Consumer Protection, emphasised the relevance of the project:
“Mental health conditions are increasing across Germany, including in Bremen. This makes alternative support services all the more important. Art on Prescription enables people to take part in artistic activities in a group setting and thereby strengthen their mental wellbeing. The figures clearly demonstrate the demand: 75 people made use of the programme, while a further 128 were placed on a waiting list. Our aim now is to build on the experience gained and to further raise the profile of Art on Prescription in Bremen and beyond.”

Carmen Emigholz, State Councillor for Culture, added:
“I very much welcome Bremen’s role as a national pioneer in this international pilot project. It clearly illustrates the importance and relevance of art and culture for our society – and for our health. Artistic engagement contributes significantly to personal wellbeing. Expanding this valuable initiative and transferring it to other cities is highly recommended.”

During the three pilot phases, art prescriptions were issued by more than 70 participating GP practices, psychotherapeutic practices and counselling centres in Bremen. Over 200 requests to participate were recorded by the Bremen vhs during this period.

Feedback from the accompanying groups and the formal evaluation shows that the programme had a positive impact on the mental health and well-being of the vast majority of participants. In qualitative evaluations, participants reported improved mood, increased self-esteem and self-confidence, enhanced emotional skills, and reduced feelings of loneliness.

Continuation of AoP in Bremen

To secure the expertise developed through the project and to maintain Bremen’s pioneering role, the health and culture departments, together with the Bremen vhs, plan to establish a Competence Centre for Art, Culture and Health in 2026. The centre will be jointly funded by all three partners. Its aim is to further develop interdisciplinary expertise in this field and to strengthen the visibility of the links between art, culture and health both within Bremen and at a supra-regional level. As part of an open network, the centre will provide space for professional exchange and actively contribute to the further development of projects at the intersection of art, culture and health.

The Arts on Prescription project in Bremen was funded until 31 December 2025 by the European Union in the frame of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme 2021–2027.