In recent years, research has shed light on the relationship between arts engagement and loneliness, revealing the potential for museums, music, and other forms of art to combat isolation and promote connectedness.
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March 2023
HUMANITIES AND HUMAN FLOURISHING NEWSLETTER
Advancing the understanding, assessment, and cultivation of well-being by means of a deep and sustained collaboration between the arts, humanities, and the social sciences
Less Alone with the Arts and Culture
Artist Louise Bourgeois once wrote, "You are born alone. You die alone. The value of the space in between is trust and love." Bourgeois was concerned with the relationship between loneliness, creativity, and connection. She channeled trust and love both to produce art and to combat loneliness. Recent research studying artistic engagement and social isolation suggests Bourgeois was really on to something.
The arts and humanities have long been recognized as powerful tools for promoting health and wellbeing. In recent years, research has shed light on the relationship between arts engagement and loneliness, revealing the potential for museums, music, and other forms of art to combat isolation and promote connectedness. This is of particular import today, as rates of loneliness are on the rise.
One study by Todd et al. (2017) found that museum programs can have a significant impact on the mental and emotional health of older adults, offering opportunities for individual growth and meaningful connections with others in a supportive environment. Another study from Tymoszuk et al. (2021) exploring a broad range of artistic activities showed that more arts engagement was linked to greater wellbeing and social connectedness and less intense loneliness.
Music can also play a powerful role in addressing loneliness. Schäfer et al. (2020) found that listening to music after experiencing a social loss can provide a sense of comfort and connection, acting as a social surrogate for an empathic friend. Comforting and distracting music both led to a significant reduction in loneliness and a rise in empathy and mood, suggesting that private musical engagement can repair one's mood and deepen their sense of connection.
These studies offer insight into how museums, music, and other forms of artistic engagement can diminish loneliness and build connection. Whether you're an isolated adult visiting a museum, a music lover seeking comfort, or simply someone looking for a way to address loneliness, the arts may be your answer.
What kinds of activities around arts and culture do you engage in? Reflect on those that you come to over and over again, for example playing an instrument, going to a play or concert, sketching, writing, watching a movie, spending time at a museum or gallery, or reading a book. Focus on one such activity that feels particularly salient to your well-being: how does the tenor of the experience shift when you are with other people versus by yourself?
Loneliness and the Arts in Research
A recent paper by Worsley and colleagues (2022) examined the role of arts engagement during COVID-19 lockdowns, finding that many found the arts to be a lifeline in buffering against loneliness and social isolation, particularly digital forms of engagement that allowed for connection with others through the arts.
Loneliness and the Arts in Practice
The Murals in Mind program run by the St Petersberg Arts Alliance brings artists together to support mental health by merging visual and performance art. The focus of the project is to engage the community with the arts to uplift those struggling with loneliness and depression.
HHF News
How do art museums support well-being in visitors? It’s difficult to answer this question with confidence since empirical art museum well-being research is just beginning to emerge and currently relies on disparate measurement strategies, limiting the ability to reach consensus. To further this work, the Humanities and Human Flourishing team has created, tested, and made freely available a survey instrument to enable art museum professionals and researchers to understand visitor well-being and inform programming and outreach.
The Core Art Museum Survey for Well-Being: Research Summary and Guidelines for Use is now available for download.
Want to learn more about our work without having to read through academic articles? HHF has a host of other research summaries available here.
Upcoming Events
As part of the HHF colloquium series, we are hosting a series of conversations between scientists and practitioners on the arts, culture, and well-being. This spring, we will hear from innovators working in research institutions and cultural organizations on how engagement in theater, music, and the visual arts can promote well-being in individuals and communities. We welcome you to join us for these virtual events and to take part in these important exchanges:
- Thursday, March 16, 2023 | 9:00 to 10:30am ET - Friederike Köhler + Jonathan Coopersmith, discussing music engagement in everyday life (more information and registration here)
Couldn't make it to one of our past colloquia? Check out the recording on our HHF YouTube Channel.
This newsletter was created by Andrew Trousdale, Katherine Cotter, Sarah Sidoti, and James Pawelski.
