Arts and culture in health: value in focus

How can long-term care remain people-centred and accessible in an ageing society? The ‘Future Outlook: Care and Culture’ explores how the arts can help prevent a future care crisis.

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Demand for long-term care and support continues to increase as the population ages, the number of people living with chronic conditions grows and staff shortages place additional pressure on the care system.

Against this backdrop, the future outlook on care and culture in long-term care and support explores the ongoing shift from treatment towards health, prevention and quality of life. It highlights how the arts can enhance people's quality of life in long-term care and support.

The foresight study was commissioned by ZonMw and written by Crétien van Campen in his role as Chair of the ZonMw Programme Committee on Arts and Culture in Long-Term Care and Support.

Read the Foresight Study: Care and Culture here

Research shows that active participation in the arts can enhance the quality of life of older people. The arts provide opportunities for expression, enjoyment, social interaction, personal development and meaning in daily life. At the same time, the sustainable embedding of the arts within long-term care and support is not yet a given. 

Arts initiatives, care organisations, municipalities, care administration offices, funders and policymakers are therefore looking for ways to make the social value of these initiatives more visible, to support dialogue, to learn from one another and to strengthen their long-term embedding.

Five initiatives analysed
A Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis was carried out across five regional initiatives. The findings have been translated into five practical guides that support dialogue on social value, further development, funding and sustainable embedding. Together, these initiatives also formed the basis for a broader national overview[ :

• Kreggel & Kwiek by the Fit-ART Foundation in Berkelland;
• Samen Creatief (‘Creative Together’) by Vitalis in the Eindhoven region;
• Through Art We Care by Cordaan in Amsterdam;
• Zomerschool (‘Summer School’) by Kunstmuseum Den Haag in The Hague;
• Kunst door de Brievenbus (‘Art through the Letterbox’) by Amphion in the Achterhoek.

The practical guides are available below.

The ‘Arts and Culture in Long-term Care and Support’ programme also funded the research project ‘Art for Senior Positive Health and Well-Being. Capturing the Impact of Art(s)-based Initiatives and Arts-based Programmes’ (The arts in care). This project examined the impact of participation in the arts on the positive health and well-being of older people across 4 arts programmes and 15 initiatives. 

The research was funded through a public-private partnership. ZonMw funded the research and the arts programmes, while the RCOAK Foundation and the Sluyterman van Loo Foundation funded the participating arts initiatives. Through a dedicated COVID-19 supplement, the research and the arts initiatives were able to continue despite the pandemic. 

The pages below are only available in Dutch.

Research

Art for Senior Positive Health and Well-Being. Capturing the Impact of Art(s)-based Initiatives and Arts-based Program (Kunst in de Zorg)

Resultaten onderzoek Kunst in de Zorg

COVID-19

Impact van Kunst in de (langdurige) Zorg in tijden van Corona

Programmes

• Uitvoering bestaande kunstprogramma's met een intramurale focus van Vitalis WoonZorg Groep
• Programma Kunst & Cultuur bij AxionContinu
• Florence blijft Actief
• Programma Kunst en Cultuur Cordaan

COVID-19 supplement programmes

• Vitalis geeft zin COVID-19 FASE 1
• Kunstkaravaan Cordaan
• Florence Blijft Actief in Coronatijd
• De Kunstbox