Artistic Expression for Enhancing Mental Health and Resilience

BACKGROUND: Mental health and well-being have become increasingly important in recent years, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only intensified this issue. According to the World Health Organization, one in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. With the pandemic, the need to address mental health concerns has become even more pressing, and one way to do this is through artistic expression. Art therapy has been shown to be effective in improving mental health and resilience, reducing stress and anxiety, and increasing self-esteem and self-awareness. The EU has recognized the importance of mental health and well-being and has included it as a priority in its 2021-2027 funding program.

CONTEXT: The ART-HEAL project will focus on promoting mental health and resilience through artistic expression. The project will bring together artists, mental health professionals, and educators to develop and implement a program that uses art as a tool for enhancing mental health and resilience. The project will target individuals who are at risk of mental health issues, including those who have experienced trauma, social isolation, or economic hardship.

The ART-HEAL project's Specific Objectives (SO) are:

• SO1. To develop a curriculum on using art as a tool for enhancing mental health and resilience (R1 Curriculum on Art Therapy)

• SO2. To produce high-quality, evidence-based learning materials that combine theoretical background with practical aspects of using art for mental health and resilience (R2 Learning materials on Art Therapy)

• SO3. To train mental health professionals and educators on how to use art therapy techniques (LTT C1 and R3 Virtual seminars & webinars)

• SO4. To implement an art therapy program in community settings and measure its effectiveness in improving mental health and resilience (R4 Implementation plan)

• SO5. To increase awareness of the benefits of art therapy for mental health and resilience among the general public (Dissemination plan)

The ART-HEAL project will promote mental health and well-being by using artistic expression as a tool for enhancing resilience, reducing stress, and improving self-awareness and self-esteem. The project will target individuals who are at risk of mental health issues, including those who have experienced trauma, social isolation, or economic hardship.

Questions to include in motivation for potential partners:
1- What specific skills and expertise do you bring to this project and how can they contribute to achieving the project objectives?
2- How can we ensure that the project activities and outputs are relevant and useful for your target groups?
3- How can we collaborate to ensure that the project aligns with your organizational priorities and objectives?
4- How can we ensure that the project activities and outputs are effectively disseminated to the relevant stakeholders and that the impact of the project is widely recognized and appreciated?

Important: We work on the project and produce products, and we expect this from other relevant institutions. That's why we will only continue on our way with partners who will make us a partner in the project. Please take this into account when applying.