TITLE:
Creative Art: Connection to Health and Well-Being
AUTHORS:
Elizabeth Gorny-Wegrzyn, Beth Perry
KEYWORDS:
Creativity and Health, Creative Arts, Participatory Arts, Well-Being, Health
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.10 No.12,
November
14,
2022
ABSTRACT: This paper explores the association between creativity and health. We examined
the literature to investigate if participating in creative arts such as dance
and movement, music, visual art therapy, and creative writing has a beneficial
effect on health and well-being. Recently, there has been an increased interest
in studying how participatory and receptive arts can enhance wellness. Increasingly
new research shows a correlation between creativity, improved feelings of
well-being, and other positive health outcomes. Studies in this area indicate
that engaging in creative arts brings about psychosocial, physiological, and
behavioural responses that may help to decrease loneliness, depression, pain,
and many other health-related issues. We reviewed and analyzed how creative
arts can create channels for expressing emotions and improve physical, mental,
and spiritual health. In this review, we define and discuss: 1) Creative Art Activities and Health; 2) Receptive and Participatory Engagement:
Well-Being and Social Connectedness; 3) Health and Well-being in Later Stages of Life; 4) Art therapy and Children; 5) Creativity and Well-Being during COVID-19; 6) Specific
Art Therapies and Their Beneficial Effects. We anticipate this review could
underpin further research in health promotion. We also aim to encourage
partnerships between the fields of health and creative arts to develop
strategies to further their collaboration.