All Outputs (81)

Arts-based interventions: Why it’s complex, and why that matters: Comment on “Can arts-based interventions improve health? A conceptual and methodological critique” by Skov and Nadal (2025)
Journal Article

While Skov and Nadal make important contributions to the arts and health field, I highlight two related limitations in their critique. First, they adopt a reductive view of art, treating it as a monolithic category rather than recognizing its heterog... Read More about Arts-based interventions: Why it’s complex, and why that matters: Comment on “Can arts-based interventions improve health? A conceptual and methodological critique” by Skov and Nadal.

Arts on prescription: Insights, evidence and future directions (2025)
Digital Artefact

Arts on prescription is expanding, with policy recommendations and schemes spreading globally, along with expectations of its positive impact on individual and community wellbeing. But what is art on prescription and what does the research on its eff... Read More about Arts on prescription: Insights, evidence and future directions.

Does daily happiness and nervousness differ in adolescents and young adults in three Latin American cities: An experience sampling study (2025)
Journal Article

Background:

Experience Sampling Methods (ESM) have been used in clinical research to collect data on emotional and behavioural states in real life contexts among different populations. Although the use of ESM in mental health has increased, it has... Read More about Does daily happiness and nervousness differ in adolescents and young adults in three Latin American cities: An experience sampling study.

Which personal and social resources help adolescents to recover from negative affect in daily life? An experience sampling study (2024)
Journal Article

Background: Reducing anxiety and depression of adolescents is a global health priority. Personal and social resources (e.g., hobbies, socializing) may reduce distress. Yet, there is insufficient understanding of how adolescents use such resources to... Read More about Which personal and social resources help adolescents to recover from negative affect in daily life? An experience sampling study.

Developing an evaluation strategy in Kashmir: Assessing the impact of an arts intervention with school children in an area of conflict (2024)
Journal Article

This 'in practice' article describes and reflects on the mixed methodology used in a realist evaluation of the impact of an arts intervention for children (aged 10-15) in a school in Kashmir, an area of conflict. The evaluation focused on art based... Read More about Developing an evaluation strategy in Kashmir: Assessing the impact of an arts intervention with school children in an area of conflict.

The impact of Arts on Prescription on individual health and wellbeing: A systematic review with meta-analysis (2024)
Journal Article

Introduction: The evidence-base for the impact of participating in the arts for different aspects of health and wellbeing is growing. Arts on Prescription has gained increasing recognition as a method for fostering connections among individuals and c... Read More about The impact of Arts on Prescription on individual health and wellbeing: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

The impact of Arts on Prescription on individual health and wellbeing: A systematic review with meta-analysis (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Aims of project: The evidence-base for the impact of participating in the arts for health and wellbeing is growing. Arts on Prescription (AoP) has gained recognition as a method for fostering connections among individuals and communities, however, to... Read More about The impact of Arts on Prescription on individual health and wellbeing: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Art on prescription: Supporting wellbeing in cities (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

This talk for the WHO Healthy Cities Network contributed to a webinar on the arts on health in cities. This talk focused on the role of social prescribing, in particular arts on prescription, presenting research based in Bristol on the use of arts on... Read More about Art on prescription: Supporting wellbeing in cities.

In/secure childhoods: Children and conflict in Kashmir (2024)
Journal Article

This paper focuses on art productions by children participating in an art-based wellbeing intervention project in Kashmir. Drawing on feminist security studies, we conducted narrative analysis to explore how children represent in/security. The locati... Read More about In/secure childhoods: Children and conflict in Kashmir.

Thriving communities Bristol evaluation report 2023 (2023)
Report

Thriving Communities Bristol developed partnerships between grassroots organisations with the aim of improving practice and knowledge of social prescribing in the city.

Between June 2021 and June 2022, the project’s partners identified need and de... Read More about Thriving communities Bristol evaluation report 2023.

Colouring for wellbeing: Evidence and applications (2023)
Book Chapter

Colouring has been increasingly used by adults as a tool to reduce stress and anxiety and to increase mindful attention in recent years. Its popularity has been reflected in the production and sales of colouring books, downloadable colouring pages an... Read More about Colouring for wellbeing: Evidence and applications.

Art and the schizophrenic spectrum (2023)
Book Chapter

There is an ‘art and health’ paradox in the literature on the schizophrenic spectrum, since features of the schizophrenic spectrum have been argued to facilitate artistic creativity (e.g., by enabling novel perspectives, images or insights), suggesti... Read More about Art and the schizophrenic spectrum.

Critical perspectives on art on prescription (2023)
Journal Article

The positive outcomes of engaging in the arts are increasingly reported in the research literature, supporting the use of the arts to enhance individual and community health and wellbeing. However, little attention is given to the less positive aspec... Read More about Critical perspectives on art on prescription.

The impact of remote arts on prescription: Changes in mood, attention and loneliness during art workshops as mechanisms for wellbeing change (2023)
Journal Article

Purpose: To assess the impact of art workshops delivered remotely, during the coronavirus pandemic, on the wellbeing of participants. To measure the impact of participating in art workshops on immediate experience (mood, attention and loneliness). To... Read More about The impact of remote arts on prescription: Changes in mood, attention and loneliness during art workshops as mechanisms for wellbeing change.

Arts in social prescribing (2023)
Book Chapter

Over the last few years there has been a huge impetus to deliver, evaluate and develop art on prescription and social prescribing programmes, with the hope that provision will improve the psychosocial wellbeing of participants and reduce the health b... Read More about Arts in social prescribing.

Using the visual arts and crafts for health and wellbeing: The EPICS framework (2023)
Book Chapter

The use of the visual arts and crafts in health, healing and ritual has a long history. The aim of this chapter is to illustrate how the visual arts and crafts are currently used for health and wellbeing, exemplified through case studies and research... Read More about Using the visual arts and crafts for health and wellbeing: The EPICS framework.

Unpacking the creativity advantage: Lessons from psychology on the benefits of the arts (2023)
Book Chapter

This chapter draws on psychology to explore the role of the arts for health and wellbeing, particularly on the psychology of creativity and positive psychology. The chapter begins by defining creativity and describing contemporary models of creativit... Read More about Unpacking the creativity advantage: Lessons from psychology on the benefits of the arts.

Arts on referral at Fresh Arts: A mixed-methods report on the efficacy of arts on prescription in a hospital setting for people experiencing chronic health conditions (2023)
Report

This report describes the evaluation methods and outcomes of four arts on referral programmes delivered through Fresh Arts on Referral at Southmead Hospital, Bristol. Arts on referral, where people are referred to art workshops, led by a skilled arts... Read More about Arts on referral at Fresh Arts: A mixed-methods report on the efficacy of arts on prescription in a hospital setting for people experiencing chronic health conditions.

Creating a difference – a role for the arts in addressing child wellbeing in conflict-affected areas (2023)
Journal Article

Background:
This paper details findings from an arts intervention project that explored the role and potential for arts activities and art therapy to support the mental health and wellbeing of children living in Kashmir, an area of long-term confli... Read More about Creating a difference – a role for the arts in addressing child wellbeing in conflict-affected areas.

Surviving to thriving: Impact of art interventions on the wellbeing of women who have experienced sexual violence (2022)
Report

This evaluation report describes a series of art workshops designed to support the wellbeing of people who have experienced sexual violence, run through Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support (SARSAS; www.sarsas.org.uk), led by socially enga... Read More about Surviving to thriving: Impact of art interventions on the wellbeing of women who have experienced sexual violence.