W&K-Forum – Conference: Critical Reflections and Future Perspectives on Research in Arts and Health

The Interuniversity Organization Arts & Knowledges (Paris Lodron University Salzburg/Mozarteum University Salzburg), in cooperation with Salzburg Institute for Arts in Medicine, and Salzburg Global Seminar are pleased to organize this day conference to reflect on recent developments in the field. We wish to raise the profile of arts and health, and arts in medicine across Austria, and learn from good practice internationally, and recent developments in the United States and the UK supported by the World Health Organisation.

Research on the effects of music and arts on health has expanded rapidly over the last two decades. A seminal WHO scoping review (2019) suggests positive health benefits from arts engagement and advocates recommendations for arts for health policies. Subsequent reviews of the field (e.g., CultureForHealth, 2022; Creative Health Review, 2023; Netherlands White Paper, 2024) are equally positive and make further recommendations for policy. There has also been substantial growth in the publication of systematic reviews and even meta-analyses of research on the arts interventions and health. In 2023, the WHO and the Jameel Arts & Health Lab (New York, USA) announced a special Lancet Global Series on the health benefits of the arts (Sajnani et al., 2023) which “will show the scientific basis of the arts‘ role in health with rigour and help position artists and scientists as necessary partners towards health and wellbeing for all”.

However, recent studies from the Salzburg International Network for the Critical Appraisal of Arts and Health Research have identified substantial methodological flaws, over-optimistic interpretations, and lack of adherence to good research practices in some of the studies cited in reviews of the field. Therefore, it appears timely to engage in a balanced and constructive discussion concerning the current state of research in arts for health. The presenters and discussants invited to the symposium are leading experts and authors of landmark publications in the field. Therefore, the event is expected to draw wider attention of practitioners and researchers alike, who are interested in high-quality research and state-of-the-art discussions with respect to the future in this growing domain at the intersection of arts, science, and medicine.

Conference with presentations and discussions.

Program

8 a.m. – 9 a.m. Coffee / Tea and pastries

9 a.m. – 9.30 a.m. Ice breaker activities
Performer: Valerie Oberleithner, Paris, France

9.30 a.m. – 9.45 a.m. Welcome

9.45 a.m. – 10.45 a.m. Session 1: What is the current state of scientific evidence in the field of arts and health and its role in formulating policy and guiding practice?
Nils Fietje, WHO Europe, Denmark
Kornelia Kiss, Culture Action Europe, Belgium
Stephen Clift, Canterbury Christ Church University, UK
Moderation: Janet Ritterman, former Director of the Royal College of Music, London, UK 

10.45 a.m. – 11 a.m. Refreshment Break 

11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Conversation: Small group discussions followed by feedback in a plenary session
Moderation: Christine Bauer, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Austria

12 p.m. – 1.30 p.m. Lunch Break

1.30 p.m. – 2.30 p.m. Session 2: What is the value of lived experience, narrative testimony and case studies in guiding policy and practice in the field of arts & health?
Jill K. Sonke, Florida University, USA
Hannah Waterson, National Centre for Creative Health, UK
Eva Schurig, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
Arne Bathke, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Austria
Moderation: Sebastian Debus, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany

2.30 p.m. – 2.45 p.m. Refreshment Break

2.45 p.m. – 3.45 p.m. Conversation: Small group discussions followed by feedback in a plenary session
Moderation: Christine Bauer, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Austria

3.45 p.m. – 4 p.m. Refreshment Break

4 p.m. – 5.30 p.m. Final panel discussion: What can we learn from international best practices, and how can we apply these insights to shape future developments of arts and health research in Austria and internationally? Can we arrive at a consensus in the best interests of promoting the highest quality research, reviews and practice in the field of arts and health?
Arne Bathke, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Austria
Christina Davies, Centre for Arts, Mental Health and Wellbeing WA, School of Allied Health & School of Humanities, The University of Western Australia
Anita Jensen, Competence Center for Primary Healthcare Social Medicine and Health Policy, Lund University, Sweden
Nils Fietje, WHO Europe, Denmark
Leonhard Thun-Hohenstein, Salzburg Institute for Arts in Medicine (SIAM), Austria
Janet Ritterman, former Director of the Royal College of Music, London, UK
Moderation: J. Matt McCrary, Hannover Medical School, Germany

5.30 p.m. – 6 p.m. Closing words and closing activities
Performer: Valerie Oberleithner, Paris, France

Organized by Focus Area InterMediation. Music — Effect — Analysis / Inter-University Organization Arts & Knowledges, Paris Lodron University Salzburg / Mozarteum University Salzburg (main organizer: Katarzyna Grebosz-Haring) in cooperation with Salzburg Institute for Arts in Medicine (SIAM), Salzburg Global Seminar (Health program), and Salzburg International Network for the Critical Appraisal of Arts and Health Research (INCAAHR).

Sponsored by: Brahms Billroth Stiftung | Dreyer Stiftung | Land Salzburg

PARTICIPATION ONLY WITH ONLINE REGISTRATION, here
ATTENTION/ACHTUNG:
Online registration is still possible at any time, even if the maximum number of participants has been reached. You will be placed directly on the waiting list and will be admitted by us for the (online) participation. Unfortunately, there is no other way to do this in the registration system. / Eine Online-Anmeldung ist jederzeit noch möglich, auch bei Anzeige Erreichung max. Teilnehmeranzahl. Sie kommen direkt auf die Warteliste und werden von uns für die gewünschte (Online-)Teilnahme zugelassen. Im Anmeldungssystem ist das leider nicht anders abbildbar.