Artistic Interventions Research Articles

Exploring the Impact of Art-Based Interventions on the Mental Health of Domestic Violence Survivors: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis (2000-2023)

Arts-based interventions are gaining recognition for their significant impact on mental health, particularly for domestic violence survivors. This bibliometric analysis (2000-2023) reviews 70 studies, with 16 from Web of Science (WoS) and 54 from Scopus, to assess the effects of arts interventions on this population. Utilizing RStudio 4.2.1 and biblioshiny in bibliometrix, we identified a steady increase in Scopus publications and minor fluctuations in WoS. "Art therapy" was the most common keyword, with the International Journal of Art Therapy and Art in Psychotherapy receiving substantial attention. J. Bird emerged as the most influential author in Scopus, while WoS showed no prominent authors with all authors having a relevance score of 1. The United States led in research output, driving advancements in the field. The growing number of publications highlights the importance of arts interventions. Future research should integrate art-based interventions with other therapies, conduct rigorous empirical studies with long-term follow-ups, and develop culturally adaptive approaches to enhance their global applicability and effectiveness for domestic violence survivors.

Resisting Alternative Images: An Ethnography of Visual Disinformation in Brazil

The battle against disinformation played a key role during the Brazilian presidential elections of 2022. Supporters of Jair Bolsonaro—and, to a much lesser extent, of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva—generated and disseminated deceptive and false “informative content” to influence public opinion. To counter the spread of fake news, different initiatives emerged. Based on a multimodal and hybrid ethnography, this essay discusses different modes of resistance to what we call “alternative images.” This term refers to intentionally misleading images with a deceptive referential value that are presented as accounts or reliable metaphors of reality. We describe three modes of countering these misleading images visually: public demonstrations, artistic interventions, and fact-checking agencies. Each one has its own modes of visual assessment and political intervention. The article argues for the importance of carrying out ethnographies of disinformation, capable of contributing to actual efforts against disinformation and alternative facts, along the lines of public and engaged critical anthropology.

Alternative micro-regeneration strategies for urban villages in China? Social entrepreneurship-based artistic intervention in Aohu Village in Shenzhen

Recent shifts in China’s urban village regeneration strategies have transitioned from comprehensive, large-scale redevelopment to nuanced, incremental micro-regenerations, incorporating artistic interventions as a dynamic mechanism for fostering urban governance innovation. This paper examines the transformative impact of social entrepreneurship based artistic intervention within the micro-regeneration of urban villages, particularly through a case study of Aohu Village in Shenzhen. It highlights how a local artist and villager catalyzed the village’s bottom-up regeneration by mobilizing his social networks to attract artists and organize art events, significantly boosting Aohu Art Village’s profile and contributing to social innovation. This approach not only drew attention from local government but also demonstrated the potent influence of artistic intervention on neighborhood regeneration and local governance. Unlike conventional, top-down planned art villages, Aohu retains its original community fabric through community-led regeneration while also addressing challenges such as rising rents and potential displacement of artists. The case study of Aohu Art Village illustrates the critical role of social entrepreneurship in urban village regeneration, emphasizing the necessity of a balanced understanding of artistic intervention, community engagement, and sustainable urban regeneration in China’s evolving urban landscape.

Technology-Enhanced Art and Sustainable Discourse Practices

This study explored the potential of technology-enhanced art in fostering sustainable discourse practices and social connection in the digital age. As technology advances, new opportunities emerge to integrate digital tools into creative practices, particularly in the realm of art. By examining the intersection of art, technology, and discourse analysis through a sustainability lens, this research aims to uncover innovative approaches to promoting effective communication, civic engagement, collaboration, intercultural understanding, empathy, and resilience incorporating co-design processes, shared decision-making, or collaborative art-making activities. The study provides an overview of technology-enhanced art practices including social media, virtual reality, interactive installations, and digital storytelling tools, and their impact on discourse practices within diverse socio-cultural contexts. It investigates the role of digital platforms and creative processes in facilitating social connection through discourse. The research focuses on a thematic approach to technology-enhanced art interventions that promote sustainable discourse practices and social connection. Through a thematic and intervention-based approach, this research combines a review of current literature with case studies showcasing the successful implementation of technology-enhanced art interventions. So the current study argues that technology-enhanced art holds significant potential for fostering sustainable discourse practices and social connection in the digital age. By harnessing the power of digital tools and creative processes in an environmentally conscious manner, artists, educators, and practitioners can support social connections. This, in turn, contributes to personal, social, and environmental resilience in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Arts and Mental health

Abstract Art includes performing arts, visual arts, literature, culture, and online/digital products. Its interventions are multimodal, combining a variety of activities, such as evoking emotions, emotional and cognitive stimulation, and imagination. Depending on the type of art, they may also involve social interaction, physical activity and communication. There is a large body of research suggesting that art engagement can enhance different dimensions of mental well-being (eudaimonic well-being, life satisfaction, evaluative well - and positive emotions). Some or all of these benefits have been found in individuals who participate in art activities. Based on these findings, art on prescription has been used in some European countries, including the United Kingdom, and Scandinavian countries. Art on prescription is mostly delivered in partnership with art organizations. The aim of this talk is give an overview on art on prescription in different countries in Europe and enhance understanding of the mechanism for whom art on prescription is a promising intervention in the field of mental health. Building on the mapping and review of reviews challenges of art interventions will be discussed such as study design or evaluating effectiveness and identifying population groups for whom art interventions work best.

Iconografía precolombina en el arte urbano y el grafiti en Bogotá. Un acercamiento a la prácticade pintura mural precolombina en espaciosconvencionales y no convencionales

The past, far from being a remote time framed in remi-niscence and faint imagery, is latent and susceptible to change. The main objective of this paper was to applymethodologies provided by fields of knowledge such asethnography, sociology, and art history, in order to capture and delve into the presence of pre-Columbian iconography in urban art and graffiti in the city of Bogotá, in both conventional and unconventional spaces; taking an epistemological approach to the practice of mural painting with allusions to pre-Columbian elements. In this way, through urban drifts, iconographic and iconological visual analysis, mapping, and qualitative interviews, we examined over twenty mural paintings, from which theoretical approaches were derived in relation to the use of public space, on the one hand, and the use of symbols, on the other. The conclusion reached is that artistic interventions, by participating in the construction and reconstruction of the social fabric, allow us to understand space as a volatile phenomenon; likewise, in the exercise of reflecting on the presence of art in the city, it is critical to pay attention to the conditions of production under which a piece is made, insofar as images have historically been powerful semantic toolsthat embody a purpose. Finally, the paper is an argument in favor of observation as a space of learning. The present reflections were part of a research process developed for the class “Uses of the past in the present: The Iconography of Antiquity in the Contemporary Culture”, at the Universidad de los Andes, first semester of 2023.

Comparison of active release technique and post-isometric relaxation in treatment of plantar fasciitis among traffic police wardens: a quasi-experimental study

BackgroundPlantar fasciitis (PF) is a common cause of chronic foot pain that leads to functional limitations in individuals. There has been recent research on plantar fasciitis, but no studies have compared the effects of the active release technique and post-isometric relaxation in patients to determine which manual therapy technique improves foot pain and function.ObjectiveThis study aimed to compare the effectiveness of the active release technique and post-isometric relaxation on proximal foot pain and functional status and to assess muscular tightness among patients with traffic police wards and plantar fasciitis.MethodsA quasi-experimental study (pre-test, post-test) was conducted in the Physiotherapy Department of Police Hospital, Gujranwala, Pakistan, between October 2022 and April 2023. We included 30 consecutively aged 25- to 60-year-old symptomatic police wardens diagnosed with planter fasciitis, who complained of pain on walking and standing for more than 3 months and met the inclusion criteria. They were equally assorted into two groups (n = 15 in each group) using convenient sampling. Group A received an active release exercise technique, group B received a post-isometric relaxation technique, and the participants in both groups received a similar baseline treatment protocol that consisted of calf stretching and stretching of the plantar fascia (5 repetitions and holding for 15 s). In the outcome measures, we included the Foot Function Index to assess the function of the foot and the Visual Analog Scale to examine the pain intensity measured during rest. The participants in both groups performed the selective protocol 3 days per week for 3 weeks, and we calculated the results at baseline and on the third day of the third week. We analyzed the data using SPSS software version 24 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). We compared within-group differences in the VAS score and FFI using paired t tests and analyzed between-group differences in the VAS score and FFI before and after performing the ART and PIR using independent t tests.ResultsThe 8-week intervention therapy revealed a demographic age mean and standard deviation of 36.60 ± 6.11 for group A and 35.60 ± 4.85 for group B. Within-group analysis demonstrated a significant decrease in VAS (pain) score following ART intervention (1.80 ± 0.862, p < 0.01) compared to PIR (6.07 ± 0.884). Between-group analysis indicated a significant reduction in FFI (disability) scores for group A (30.33 ± 3.200, p < 0.03) compared to group B (56.93 ± 4.773). Moreover, ART intervention exhibited significant improvement in VAS scores (p < 0.05), with 95% CI [1.49, 2.11]. The mean difference in FFI scores was substantially greater in the ART group (86.00 to 30.33) compared to the PIR group (p > 0.05), suggesting non-significant differences.ConclusionThe active release exercise intervention is more effective than post-isometric relaxation in improving pain and foot function disability in patients with plantar fasciitis. The present study aimed to help physical therapists choose the most efficient manual therapy exercise intervention to improve functional limitations.

How to optimise creative art therapy to foster the mental health of refugee adolescents? A Delphi study protocol.

This study aims to identify the most recommended components of creative art therapy (CAT) to improve the mental health of refugee adolescents. A three-round Delphi design is proposed. The first round will include semi-structured interviews with a panel of 12 CAT professionals worldwide and 12 refugee adolescents aged 10-24 in Jordan with a history of participating in creative arts interventions. The hybrid approach of coding and thematic analysis will be conducted to develop statements on recommended CAT components from the interview narratives. In the second round, the same and newly enrolled 24 professionals and 24 refugee adolescents will be asked to rate the statements according to their importance, propose new statements, and add comments. A similar procedure will be followed in the third round, where panellists will rate new and old statements after perusing the feedback from the second round. A statement will gain consensus and indicate essential components when rated 'essential' or 'very important' by > = 80% of panellists. Very important components are those with the same ratings by 60-79.9% of panellists. A list of essential and very important components, perspectives and suggestions will be provided to guide practice and intervention development.

The Impact of a Creativity Camp Intervention on Depression and Well-Being in Adolescents.

Depression is a serious public health problem that often emerges during adolescence. Many adolescents do not respond to standard treatments, necessitating the development of novel interventions. We conducted a preliminary study to assess the impact of a novel creative arts intervention on depression and well-being in adolescents. In this quasi-experimental study, 69 adolescents 12-17years completed an 8-day "Creativity Camp" intervention encompassing multiple creative activities. Self-report questionnaires to measure depression, anxiety, and well-being were administered at five time points to allow examination of change across multiple temporal segments: the 2 weeks before the intervention, the 2 weeks during the intervention, the 2 weeks after the intervention, and the 6months after the intervention. Adolescents were assigned to one of two groups to compare changes observed during the 2 week before-intervention period (Group A) to the changes observed during the intervention period (pre-post intervention) (Group B). According to both parent and child reports, pre-to-post-intervention, mean adolescent depressive symptoms significantly decreased, and these changes were sustained 2 weeks after the intervention and (according to parents) at the 6-month follow-up. There was preliminary evidence for improved well-being at post-intervention. Comparison of Group A's changes during the before-intervention period to Group B's changes pre-post intervention was significant for parent-reported depression. Preliminary evidence suggests that the Creativity Camp intervention may positively impact adolescent depression and well-being. This evidence highlights the importance of investigating and implementing treatment approaches focusing on creative arts for adolescents with depression.

Research on the Influencing Factors of Art Intervention in the Environmental Graphics of Rural Cultural Tourism Space

In the development of rural revitalization, the art intervention in rural cultural tourism has become a hot topic recently. With the advent of the new media era, it is particularly important to study the factors that affect the artistic value of environmental graphic design. This study proposes six dimensions of environmental graphic design for rural cultural tourism through literature analysis and experience summary, which are refined into 21 impact indicators. It is based on the case of the environmental graphic publicity of cultural tourism in Chongqing Nanshan Cattle Village, using the SBE beauty evaluation method to evaluate the influencing factors, while using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to measure each indicator. The consistency of the two evaluation methods verifies the feasibility of the influencing factors, and this study found the influence of visuality, cultural nature, artistic nature, interactivity, spatiality, and communicativeness on aesthetic value. Moreover, the core of environmental graphic design lies in information transmission, in which artistic nature occupies an important position, while cultural nature, although it has a relatively small weight in aesthetic value, cannot be ignored in social media communication. In terms of visual design, a reasonable layout of equipment significantly enhances visual appeal, while spatial adaptability is considered a key factor. This paper emphasizes the integration of art principles into design to promote sustainable development, while also pointing out that the identification of rural cultural symbols can enhance visitors’ cultural experience. In terms of interactivity, it is crucial to encourage visitors to actively participate and share their experiences, while communication emphasizes the important impact of exposure to rural scenes on brand communication. This research provides systematic theoretical support and practical guidance for the environmental graphic design of rural cultural tourism.

Artistic Interventions in Urban Renewal: Exploring the Social Impact and Contribution of Public Art to Sustainable Urban Development Goals

The aim of this study was to explore the multiple roles of public art in urban renewal and sustainable development goals, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, with an emphasis on community engagement and the application of theoretical frameworks. Through a detailed analysis of public art projects in Teruel, Spain, and Chengdu, China, this study shows how public art plays an important role in enhancing cultural values, promoting social inclusion, and driving economic growth. Qualitative methods such as interviews and content analysis were used to gain in-depth insights into the views and experiences of artists, urban planners, policymakers, and community members. At the same time, quantitative methods such as questionnaires and spatial analysis were used to assess the specific impacts of public art on urban beautification, social inclusion, and economic growth.

Noise without noise? Art interventions in a Southeast Asian city

The experimental music community Jogja Noise Bombing based in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta has for more than a decade experimented with pop-up performances of harsh noise played on DIY instruments in urban spaces. These urban spaces, however, tend themselves to be very "noisy". Since 2018 we have followed these performances online and through fieldwork in Indonesia with an ongoing curiosity that stays with the trouble of noise. We are attracted to the context of these performances because they challenge us to answer a series of paradoxical questions: what is noise aesthetics in a place where everything is "noisy" and where this noisiness, furthermore, does not seem to be experienced as a problem or provocation? Can one even speak of "noise" if it is not unwanted? The social aesthetics of Indonesian harsh noise music in its specific attunement to the soundscapes of the Indonesian city challenges Western conventional ontologies of noise and ideas of the relationship between "objective" noise and aesthetic performances of noise such as noise music in several ways.

“Anti-monument: The Way to a Forgotten Historical Event”. Participation as a Tactics for Creating New Memory

In this text, I will address historical memory as an ethical obligation and a means of intervening in the process of social change, with a particular emphasis on the problem of excluding women from main historical narratives. My analysis is set in relation to the marginalized historical episode of the political camp for women in Goli Otok and Sveti Grgur. I will explore how tactics of socially engaged artistic practice can effectively bring this forgotten historical episode into public focus and integrate it into institutional frameworks. Special attention will be given to the concept of the anti-monument as an innovative critical approach to the memorialization practices of violent heritage. The anti-monument involves the public in the process of memory transmission, allowing everyone to seek information and respond according to their own interest, and by building their own memory, become carriers of memory, and take responsibility for the future. For the purpose of this paper, I will refer to the case study “850 Women for 850 Women”, which I initiated and have been leading since 2021 within the artistic project “You Betrayed the Party Just When You Should Have Helped It”, as a concrete example of participatory building of a collective anti-monument and repositioning towards memory. This participatory practice indicates how artistic interventions can actively transfer memory from the past through present collective action into the future. The paper provides insight into ways artistic tactics establishes connection with marginalized histories and strengthens collective memories with the idea of historical justice and inclusion.

Harmony in the brain: A narrative review on the shared neural substrates of emotion regulation and creativity

The contribution of creativity in overall well-being through regulating emotions has sparkled research interest in employing artistic interventions recently for the improvement of mental health. Although the behavioural links between emotion regulation and creativity have been established, the neural networks reflecting these relations are yet to be investigated. In this mini review, we describe the neural underpinnings of all forms of creativity and of the emotion regulation strategies. Given the complexity of both of these constructs, we separate creativity in its various forms and report the regions and the neural networks involved. Similarly, we distinguish between the differential emotion regulation strategies and describe the relevant brain areas and networks. We then proceed to a critical exploration of common regions of interest and of neural pathways among these important functions. The studies included in this review point towards certain brain regions that are shared among creativity and affective control, such as the prefrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate cortex, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the medial temporal lobe and the inferior parietal lobule. The common neural networks of emotion regulation and creativity mainly focus on the default mode, the executive control and the salience networks. We then suggest a shared neural mechanism that may underlie emotion regulation and creativity, involving both control and affective processing. Drawing on the limitations of the studies reviewed, directions for future research are suggested that could significantly inform the field.

Public History: Infrastructural Imaginaries and the Production of Affective Power.

This section of Public History explores "infrastructural imaginaries"-shared visions of future infrastructure that are collectively held and either publicly enacted or resisted. These imaginaries are deeply rooted in both present realities and past dreams of what could have been. For historians of technology, understanding who imagines this infrastructure, the impacts of these imaginings, and the emotional forces driving these processes is essential. The contributions in this section explore artistic interventions that blend utopian ideas, visual languages, political ambitions, and radical actions. These interventions challenge us to rethink the contours of our infrastructure-dominated world and invite further historical analysis in these public discourses.

Exploring the Impact of Art on Health Policy Changes

Art, in its various forms, has increasingly become a powerful tool for shaping health policy and driving social change. This review examined the multifaceted impact of artistic expression on health policy development by offering historical context, analyzing case studies, and discussing the interdisciplinary relationship between art and public health. Art’s role in influencing public sentiment, raising awareness, and inspiring policy reform is examined through visual, literary, and performing arts. Case studies demonstrate how artistic interventions have been instrumental in addressing health disparities, particularly in marginalized communities. The paper further reviews the methodologies used to evaluate art’s impact on health policy, emphasizing the need for mixed-method approaches that balance qualitative and quantitative research. Ultimately, the paper recommends future avenues for integrating art into health policy to foster community-driven innovation and more inclusive healthcare interventions. Keywords: Art and health policy, public health, social change, artistic intervention, community health, health disparities.

Assessing the Impact of Visual Arts Teaching on Critical Thinking and Behavior Regulation

Background: Visual arts education has been suggested to influence cognitive and behavioral outcomes, yet its specific effects on critical thinking and behavior regulation remain underexplored. The effect of visual arts education on these domains forms the topic of the present study, which employs a mixed approach research design. Aim: To assess the impact of visual arts education on the improvement of critical thinking and self-regulation in students. Methodology: A quasi-experimental approach was employed with 80 individuals, with 40 in the experimental group Report Phrase receiving education in visual arts and 40 in the control group receiving non-visual arts education. CTST and BRI assessment tools were used to acquire quantitative data about the participants, utilizing the independent and paired sample T-tests. Data collected from participants include interviews, focus group discussions, self-administered, and thematic analysis. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyse the data. Result: Statistical findings depicted improvements in the quantitative aspect; critical thinking skills improved from 70.0 to 75.3 with p&lt;0.001 and behavior regulation improved from 65.0 to 69.2 with p&lt;0.001 in the experimental-group in contrast to the control-group. The thematic analysis found striking increases in attention, impulse control, task completion, creativity, collaboration, affect expression, and self-esteem of experimental-group participants. Based on the findings of the Repeated Measures ANOVA, significant enhancements were observed in both domains for critical thinking and behavior regulation with effect size estimates of 0.40 and 0.30, respectively. Conclusion: The development of critical thinking and behavior control in students is greatly impacted by art instruction. Quantitative and qualitative data both support the utility of using visual arts interventions for cognitive and behavioral development and inform practice in art education.

Case report on clay sculpting of Platonic solids for anxiety: Exploration of effects and mechanisms of change

Touch is an essential component of the human experience, especially evident in art therapy where activities like clay work serve as powerful tools for sensory expression. While art therapy is often associated with free expression and creativity, structured interventions prove most effective in addressing negative moods. A structured art intervention, used in anthroposophic art therapy, is clay modeling of Platonic solids. The idea is that sculpting these abstract geometric forms helps individuals to regain or strengthen a sense of stability. In this specific case study, the therapeutic effects of Platonic solids were explored concerning anxiety reduction. The patient suffered from anxiety, panic attacks, severe distress and somatization. After three months art therapy, her anxiety and somatization were significantly reduced. It was found that patient’s ability to accept her emotions and responses to distress improved. This case report sheds light on the mechanisms underlying art therapy, particularly the role of tactile engagement in facilitating emotional integration across different levels of consciousness, increasing patient’s self-awareness. This case report contributes to the ongoing exploration of art therapy's transformative potential, emphasizing the significance of tactile experiences and combining a body-oriented approach with a cognitive challenge (Platonic solids) in the therapeutic process.

Artistic interventions: Art, community, and media in China and beyond

Artistic interventions in communities have become increasingly prevalent in the context of quality-led urbanization and rural revitalization in China over the past decade. These art practices reflect a narrative of resistance toward the institutionalization, professionalization, and marketization of contemporary art through direct interventions in social reality. Community is the most common site from which public aesthetic action and social activism emerge to increase public awareness and promote community engagement. With the rise of new media technologies, multi-media have gradually been combined in socially engaged art projects, which has blurred the boundaries between concrete materials and virtual media as well as that between physical places and the online community. This article first outlines a literature review on the changing avant-garde spirit in both global and Chinese art history to better understand the concepts of artistic interventions. Second, as a major intervention in this field, the focus on community reflects the interflow of the theoretical search for communicative ethics and community reconstruction movements worldwide. Third, the role of the media in socially engaged art and its future implications are discussed. In the conclusion section, a variety of specific contexts in China and beyond and the various intervention aims and methods of five selected articles are introduced.

Care at the centre of the post-pandemic sustainability of grassroots cultural centres and culture-led urban regeneration. A comparison of western and eastern perspectives

ABSTRACT The redevelopment and management of brownfield sites by grassroots cultural organizations have been shown to have a transformative role on communities and cities, implementing bottom-up culture-led urban regeneration rather than top-down models which often lead to gentrification. Based on analyses and interviews with actors from major grassroots cultural centres in Berlin (ufaFabrik) and Bratislava (Nová Cvernovka), this study challenges previous research on cultural brownfields focusing on temporary artistic interventions, arguing instead that long-term commitment, care, participation and cooperation between cultural organizations and local administrations can lead to more sustainable regeneration models in which cultural brownfields operate as commons-based ecosystems of care. The study also offers a unique insight into the “western” vs. “eastern” specifics, highlighting the fact that post-socialist administrations can serve as a barrier to a successful redevelopment through stigmatized public-NGO relationships, where artists and communities are often perceived as a “political opposition”.