Art Connects Mental Health: A Time to Breathe

Background Art Connects Mental Health: A Time to Breathe was a two-year European wide transnational partnership project that aimed to provide education, training and awareness-raising at national and European levels using creative processes to promote positive mental health and emotional wellbeing with youth. Six partner organisations came together to create a blueprint for a Europe-wide Creative Arts for Health and Well Being hub, a new online, interactive, learning resource centre that supports the role of the arts to promote physical and emotional positive mental health and well-being for all. We noted that a challenging event like the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic affected everyone’s mental health. While each of us were doing our best to look after ourselves however young people may need extra attention and support. Building synergies between the arts, youth education, and health and well-being, this project addressed an important need by supporting the role of the arts to promote positive mental health and emotional well-being, to overcome stress and anxiety and to build resilience across Europe, strengthening links across Europe in relation to the arts, education and positive mental health and well-being with and by young people. Objectives The core aim of this project was to bring different partners together and to combine their skills and expertise in order to create a European model for using the arts to promote positive mental health and well-being with youth workers and young people, both face-to-face and online. We were particularly keen to demonstrate the effectiveness of the arts through innovative processes and actions in its ability to promote physical and emotional health and wellbeing for all. This is particularly pertinent in a post Covid pandemic society and research has demonstrated the effectiveness of new techniques, including the arts to assist in supporting improved mental health and wellbeing. We also wanted to showcase how co-operation and working together on a transnational basis can achieve collective benefits with sharing of knowledge and expertise and demonstrating the benefits of a shared approach across Europe. Implementation 1. A blueprint for the creation of a European wide Creative Arts for Health and Well-Being Hub (an online interactive platform and learning resource centre) and resources (curriculum with three online workshops, eight hand-outs and digital app) – all used to manage stress and anxiety and build resilience 2. Sustainable partnership strengthened between six key organisations and links built between arts, education, mental health and new digital technologies with and by young people at national and European levels. 3. Supporting the empowerment of youth workers through the development and uptake of new, innovative and accessible training and resources to promote best practice in teaching and learning for positive mental health and well-being through the arts and digital technologies 4. Training targeted at youth workers either from or working with minority or disadvantaged groups, so as to promote social inclusion and connections for change 5. Building new ways to identify future models for sustainability and skills in networking and policy development that suit the creative and cultural industries in a changed society. Achievements 1. Blueprint for online platform. We developed a blueprint or template for how to establish a Creative Arts for Health and Well-Being hub, an online, interactive, European-wide platform and learning resource using creative processes with young people to promote positive mental health and emotional wellbeing at national and European levels. 2. Creative Arts for Health and Well-Being Curriculum 3 Creative Art Blogs (handouts) to promote positive mental health and well-being in a time of pandemic. 4. Mobile app A Time to Breath, exploring personal triggers and breathing exercises to overcome stress and anxiety and promote resilience, housed on the Creative Arts for Health and Well-Being hub 5. Four Transnational partner exchanges successfully implemented 6. Six pilot events conducted 7. Training for Youth Workers implemented 8. Series of multiplier events conducted 9. Communications and Dissemination: Each partner carried out PR and social media campaigns