This New Report Proves Art & Culture Improve Our Wellbeing

Sometimes it’s hard to justify those concert tickets, or that art class, or your weekly piano lesson – particularly as UK inflation rates hit an eight-month high and the cost of living crisis continues. This seems to be a national consensus. New statistics show a concerning decline in the arts and entertainment industry, with a 15 percent decrease since July this year. There has also been a 42 percent decline in the number of arts GCSEs taken since 2010, and the UK has one of the lowest levels of spending on arts and culture among European countries. It’s tragic news for avid theatre-goers and art-perusers, but maybe new research can stem the industry’s collapse.

New Study Reveals Art Improves Physical & Mental Health

As it turns out, arts and culture are not just good for the soul but our health too. Consuming culture reportedly leads to higher productivity, improved quality of life and fewer visits to the doctor. These improvements are worth £8 billion every year – meaning engaging with arts and culture can even save money for the UK.

Conducted for the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the study found that even just occasional trips to see a musical, play or concert can improve both mental and physical health. The research was led by Frontier Economics in collaboration with the World Health Organisation’s Collaborating Centre for Arts and Health. Thirteen different age groups were included, ranging from children to the elderly, and improvements in health were noted across the board.

The research’s co-author Matthew Bell of Frontier told the Guardian, ‘engagement with performance-based art such as plays, musicals and ballet, and particularly participation in music, is linked to reductions in depression and in pain and improved quality of life’.

This isn’t the first study to prove that art is good for our wellbeing. In Canada, a 12 week study inviting people aged 65 and over to visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts weekly – a scheme known as ‘Thursdays at the Museum’ – resulted in happier feelings and reduced frailty. A similar study of 3,333 young adults (aged 18–28) revealed that those who engaged in organised theatrical, musical or artistic activities felt happier and more fulfilled. There’s a reason why you have an extra spring in your step when you leave the theatre.

As more music venues sadly close their doors and investment in art slowly dwindles, hopefully we will reach a turning point. For now, buy the concert tickets, take the art class, start the piano lessons – after all, it’s good for you. Let’s hope our government follows suit.