Art and Mental Wellbeing

On April 15th 2024 it is World Art Day!

Art can play a significant role in supporting mental wellbeing and can provide a powerful tool for coping with day-to-day stressors and anxieties. Our team have shared below how they have used art in their day-to-day lives and during particularly stressful moments, as a way to cope, and support their mental health.

Paula (volunteer):

‘Art helped me through a very difficult time after being diagnosed with c-PTSD. It gave me a focus, while accepting myself. Art gave me a healthy coping mechanism, and a much-needed breathing space to see through the fog and find myself.’

Take a look at Paula’s stunning artwork ‘The Elephant’:

Brian (training coordinator):

‘As a Mental Health practitioner and trainer I keep telling people to do the things that normally lift your mood and make you feel better. For me, put me in front of an easel you can lose me for a few hours. Even if the results are bad, I always feel happier.’

Take a look at Brian’s beautiful landscape artwork:

More About Art!

Read below the several ways in which art can aide positive mental wellbeing:

1. Stress and Anxiety Reduction: Engaging in art activities such as painting, sculpting, or sketching can act as a form of mindfulness, helping you to focus your attention on the present moment and reduce stress. The act of creating art can be meditative, leading to relaxation, a sense of calm and improved mindfulness.
2. Empowerment and Agency: Creating art allows you to exercise agency and control over your unique creative process, which can be empowering and boost self-esteem and resilience. At the same time, creating or experiencing art can add a sense of purpose and meaning to your own life.
3. Connection and Social Support: Art can bring people together, fostering a sense of community and belonging. Engaging in art-related activities, such as joining a painting class, provides opportunities for social interaction and support, which are important for mental wellbeing.
4. Expression and Communication: Art provides a medium for individuals to express their emotions, thoughts, and experiences, even when they might be difficult to articulate verbally. This process of expression can be cathartic, allowing individuals to release pent-up emotions and communicate their inner struggles.

Overall, art provides a multifaceted avenue for enhancing mental wellbeing, offering avenues for expression, self-exploration, empowerment, connection, and coping. Whether through the act of creation or the appreciation of art, you can find solace, healing, and growth.

If you are looking to engage in art-based activities check out our Women’s Nature group which is an art-focused course, or our Writers Group which encourages creativity through language!