Study: Participating in Arts and Cultural Activities Benefits Physical and Mental Health

People may occasionally attend concerts or visit museums because it is widely believed that engaging in arts and cultural activities is beneficial to mental health. However, a study conducted by the UK government has found that participating in these activities not only benefits both physical and mental health but also brings significant economic benefits to society.

According to a report by The Guardian, research conducted by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in the UK shows that engaging in arts and cultural activities, even if done occasionally, can bring significant benefits to physical health, including pain relief, improvement in weakness, depression, and reduced dependence on medication.

This study was a collaborative project between the UK consulting company Frontier Economics and the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Arts and Health.

One of the report’s authors, Matthew Bell from Frontier Economics, stated, “Engaging in performing arts such as drama, musicals, and ballet, especially music, is associated with reducing depression and pain and improving quality of life.”

Another author of the study, Daisy Fancourt, Director of the Collaborating Centre for Arts and Health, mentioned that participating in arts and cultural activities has various positive effects on health, including preventing cognitive decline, reducing symptoms of mental illness and cognitive impairments, enhancing happiness, alleviating pain and stress, combating loneliness, maintaining physical function, and reducing age-related physical decline.

Fancourt added that in such scenarios, individuals can actively manage their health by staying physically active, engaging in social activities, reducing the need for hospital and care home stays, thereby alleviating unnecessary pressure on healthcare services.

The study focused on research involving 13 different demographic groups, ranging from young to elderly individuals. Evidence shows that their physical and mental health improved when pursuing or engaging in art-related activities.

For instance, a group of elderly individuals aged 65 and above participated in painting classes at a local museum weekly for a period of 3 months. The results showed that each person on average saved £1,310 (approximately $1,594) in family doctor visits and felt better about their lives than before.

The study estimated that engaging in arts and cultural activities could bring an average benefit of £1,000 (approximately $1,217) per individual annually. For the entire UK society, this could generate an average benefit of £8 billion (approximately $9.74 billion) per year, primarily from improved quality of life and increased work productivity.

Fancourt emphasized that this study indicates that further investment in arts is valuable for individuals and the overall healthcare services. Reduction in arts funding or supply should be considered a public health risk as it not only affects individuals but also impacts the socio-economic aspects of society.