Arts on Prescription in the Baltic Sea Region
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Arts on Prescription

PROGRAMME 2021-2027
priority
1 Innovative societies
objective
1.2 Responsive public services
Project type
Implementation
January 2023 - December 2025
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Arts on Prescription

The project Arts on Prescription helps public authorities, cultural and health institutions engage people with mental health challenges in social and non-therapy art activities to improve their mental wellbeing.
In the spotlight

A simple line painted with the brush can lead to freedom and happiness - Joan Miró

Project summary

Mental healthcare issues such as depression, stress, and anxiety continue to rise globally after the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic which has contributed to the current mental health permacrisis. This trend also coincides with an increased need for healthcare services in other areas of health demands, creating a strain on already overextended primary, secondary and community healthcare services. To alleviate the burden on healthcare systems and to provide more efficient care services, alternative and preventive approaches are needed.

The Arts on Prescription (AoP) concept offers such an alternative. The AoP concept is that people with or at risk of developing mental health conditions receive a prescription not for medicine or therapy, but for regular arts activities offered by community-based services like museums, adult education centres, or cultural institutions. This concept has shown positive effects on mental well-being (WHO 2019, external link) and is used in countries such as Canada, Australia, USA, Greece and the UK.

Although there is growing interest in the field of AoP, there remains a lack of knowledge on how to set up, organise and integrate the concept into existing healthcare systems. Alongside targeted guidance and training for health care practitioners, arts professionals, and public authorities is needed. Also, how to finance AoP programmes in the short and long-term, is an ongoing discussion which requires a greater and new collaborations between the culture and health sectors

To address these challenges, the Interreg BSR project “Arts on Prescription in the Baltic Sea Region” developed:

  • a generic programme concept that is based on evidence and experience, adaptable to various local conditions and public health systems.
  • an information package including a flyer, brochure and animation video to inform stakeholders about the AoP concept.
  • an upcoming Arts on Prescription Guide with how-to-guides in organising, facilitating, evaluating and financing AoP programmes, lessons learned from pilot programmes in DK, DE, PL, LV and SE, and audiovisual guidance for project managers and link workers , culture and arts facilitators, and decision-makers.
  • an evaluation framework which includes a cost benefit analysis of AoP programmes.

Stay tuned for our rent-an-expert programme and One-on-One Twinning activities, where project partners offer advice and support for municipalities and regions in the Baltic Sea Region to implement their own AoP programme.

Join the Arts on Prescription community and support our #MadeWithInterreg project to improve the mental well-being of citizens!

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Budgets

Arts on Prescription
in numbers.
  • 3.51
    Million
    Total
  • 2.81
    Million
    Erdf
  • 0.00
    Million
    Norway

Top news

News

InnoCulture 2024: Harnessing Culture to Drive Innovation and Well-being in the Baltic Sea Region
Uniting Culture and Innovation for a Healthier, Sustainable Future!

News

Promoting AoP at the Culture for Health and Wellbeing conference in Bielsko-Biała
Arts on Prescription Takes Center Stage at the Culture for Health and Wellbeing Conference

News

DAK competition - 1st place for Arts on Prescription in Bremen
DAK competition in Germany provide nation-wide recognition of Arts on Prescritpion

News

Culture and Wellbeing Forum 2024 in Romania
Exploring Social Prescribing in Romania at the Culture & Wellbeing Forum 2024

News

Securing continuation of AoP in Cēsis, Latvia
Providing education and inspiration to cultural professionals in Cēsis Municipality

News

Well-being days in Saldus and Broceni
Inviting community members to immerse themselves in enriching discussions and creative activities

News

Musical Vertigo / 3rd pilot cycle launched in Poland
1st meeting of the third series of workshops for young people entitled ‘Musical Vertigo’ took ...

News

Evaluation of the Funen Arts on Prescription programme for young adults in Denmark
Evaluation report on the Funen Arts on Prescription project recently published - six most important ...

News

Insights from the Swedish pilot programme*
Positive experiences and promising results for the roll-out of the piloting programme in the Region ...

News

4th partner meeting in Sunderby Folkhögskola, SE
On June 18th and 19th, 2024, the partners of the Arts on Prescription in the Baltic Sea Region ...

News

Consolidation of Arts on Prescription in Bremen
Participant insights and video footprints of the second pilot cycle of Arts on Prescription / Kunst ...

News

Social prescribing gains global momentum
Latest Report Highlights Worldwide Developments

News

Musical Vertigo in Chojna / 2nd pilot cycle finalised
Musical Vertigo series - AoP pilot programme in Chojna, Poland

News

Arts on prescription - from concept to reality
From the animated concept to real life impressions of Art on Prescription programme participants.

News

What about emotions? Musical Vertigo workshop launched in Chojna
The second series of Art on Prescription Musical Vertigo workshops for young people aged 16-19 ...

News

AoP spreads its wings and goes global
AoP joins forces with the International Social Prescribing Community of Practice and the ...

News

Cēsis and Saldus successfully completed 1st pilot phase
At the end of 2023, the 1st of 3 pilot cycles of the Arts-on-Prescription programme was completed in ...

News

Review and exchange on 1st pilot phase - Transnational workshops in Turku, Finland
On 13-14 February 2024, the Turku University of Applied Sciences hosted the third transnational ...

News

Moving from What’s the matter with you? to What matters to you? – Humanising healthcare through social prescribing
Arts on Prescrition in the Baltic Sea Region - a Baltic model of Social Prescribing

News

Arts on Prescription in Bremen - an inclusive model
The first pilot phase at the Bremer Volkshochschule (vhs) started in October 2023. The Arts on ...
  • 55.39906279999999610.3861862904529
  • 53.0800605999999968.81226063357034
  • 53.08119558.7968355
  • 55.679112.570609
  • 57.313473525.2792807
  • 56.665447222.4944069
  • 53.426660414.5595894
  • 53.455706114.5611662
  • 59.31687118.0633255
  • 65.658296221.9429874
  • 65.583118722.1459535
  • 60.448910322.2960629
  • 54.898213923.9044817

Project partners

Lead partnerOdense Municipality
  • Town
    Odense C
  • Region
  • Country
    Denmark
  • Region
    Fyn
Total partner budget
598,486.44
Ministry for health, women and consumer Protection of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen
  • Town
    Bremen
  • Region
  • Country
    Germany
  • Region
    Bremen, Kreisfreie Stadt
Total partner budget
121,000.00
Bremer Volkshochschule - adult education centre/Ministry for Culture
  • Town
    Bremen
  • Region
  • Country
    Germany
  • Region
    Bremen, Kreisfreie Stadt
Total partner budget
339,510.00
University of Southern Denmark
  • Town
    København
  • Region
  • Country
    Denmark
  • Region
    Byen København
Total partner budget
385,755.00
Cesis Municipality
  • Town
    Cesis
  • Region
  • Country
    Latvia
  • Region
    Vidzeme
Total partner budget
225,991.20
Saldus district municipality
  • Town
    Saldus
  • Region
  • Country
    Latvia
  • Region
    Kurzeme
Total partner budget
221,991.20
Westpomeranian Region
  • Town
    Szczecin
  • Region
  • Country
    Poland
  • Region
    Szczeciński
Total partner budget
152,590.57
Media Dizajn
  • Town
    Szczecin
  • Region
  • Country
    Poland
  • Region
    Miasto Szczecin
Total partner budget
169,640.00
Secretariat of the Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being (NDPHS)
  • Town
    Stockholm
  • Region
  • Country
    Sweden
  • Region
    Stockholms län
Total partner budget
380,049.98
Sunderby folk high school
  • Town
    S. Sunderbyn
  • Region
  • Country
    Sweden
  • Region
    Norrbottens län
Total partner budget
245,735.27
Norrbotten Region
  • Town
    Luleå
  • Region
  • Country
    Sweden
  • Region
    Norrbottens län
Total partner budget
279,440.00
Turku University of Applied Sciences
  • Town
    Turku
  • Region
  • Country
    Finland
  • Region
    Varsinais-Suomi
Total partner budget
267,320.50
Lithuanian University of Health Sciences
  • Town
    Kaunas
  • Region
  • Country
    Lithuania
  • Region
    Kauno apskritis
Total partner budget
123,775.40

Contacts

News

Events

No upcoming events
    27
    November
    The role of arts and culture in health promotion and prevention
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    27. November 2024
    13:00 - 18:00 (CET)
    19-20
    November
    InnoCulture Conference 2024
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    19. - 20. November 2024
    12:00 - 13:00 (CET)
    14-15
    November
    Culture for Health and Wellbeing: Helping to tackle key societal challenges
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    14. - 15. November 2024
    30-31
    October
    AoP at the EUSBSR Annual Forum 2024
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    30. - 31. October 2024
    27-28
    October
    Culture & well-being forum 2024
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    27. - 28. October 2024
    03-24
    October
    Digital Culture for Health Festival 2024, Jönköping (SE)
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Virtual Meeting
    03. - 24. October 2024
    07-08
    October
    Social Prescribing - What is it? How is it done?
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Virtual Meeting & Physical Meeting
    07. - 08. October 2024
    11:00 - 16:30 (CEST)
    22
    August
    Arts on Prescription - Talk, Kulturmødet 2024
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    22. August 2024
    17:00 - 18:00 (CET)
    06
    July
    Panel Discussion - No culture, no health!
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    06. July 2024
    13:00 - 14:30 (CET)
    18-20
    June
    4th Physical Project Partner Meeting of the AoP consortium
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    18. - 20. June 2024
    06-08
    June
    EX-IN Deutschland e.V. - Annual Conference 2024
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    06. - 08. June 2024
    29
    May
    Kulturtræf 2024
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    29. May 2024
    08:30 - 17:00 (CET)
    27
    May
    Measuring the impact of culture on wellbeing
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Virtual Meeting
    27. May 2024
    17:30 - 19:30 (EEST)
    15
    May
    2nd German Social Prescribing Conference
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Virtual Meeting
    15. May 2024
    12:00 - 18:00 (CET)
    25
    April
    Latvian Webinar - Referral to cultural activities
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Virtual Meeting
    25. April 2024
    13:00 - 15:00 (CET)
    14
    March
    Arts as Public Health Service
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Virtual Meeting
    14. March 2024
    14:00 - 16:00 (CET)
    06
    March
    Culture on Prescription Multiplier Event
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    06. March 2024
    12:00 - 16:00 (CET)
    27
    February
    UBC Talks - Funding for innovative and climate-smart cities
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Virtual Meeting
    27. February 2024
    09:30 - 11:00 (CET)
    13-14
    February
    3rd Physical Project Partner Meeting of the AoP consortium
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    13. - 14. February 2024
    17
    January
    Culture and Creativity: Women Powering Tourism Transformation
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    17. January 2024
    09:15 - 12:50 (CET)
    14
    December
    Annual Latvian Museum Forum
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    14. December 2023
    09:30 - 17:00 (EET)
    11
    December
    CENL Webinar - Libraries: Unlocking Non-Visitor Potential
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Virtual Meeting
    11. December 2023
    11:00 - 14:00 (CET)
    19
    October
    7th International Creative Congress Design Plus - Design by prescription
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    19. October 2023
    19:00 - 21:00 (CET)
    06
    October
    Music and motherhood: health care innovation through the arts - WHO multi-stakeholder meeting
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    06. October 2023
    04-05
    October
    Safe and Sustainable Baltic Sea Region for Future Generations - EUSBSR Annual Forum 2023 in Riga
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    04. - 05. October 2023
    27
    September
    Localising the Sustainable Development Goals through Museums and Libraries II
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Virtual Meeting
    27. September 2023
    06-07
    September
    2nd Physical Project Partner Meeting of the AoP consortium
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    06. - 07. September 2023
    16
    May
    Approaches to culture and health cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Virtual Meeting
    16. May 2023
    10:00 - 12:00 (CET)
    11-12
    May
    Nordic Arts & Health Research Network meeting
    Project: Arts on Prescription
    Physical Meeting
    11. - 12. May 2023
    08:45 - 12:15 (CET)

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