W&K-Forum – Conference: Critical Reflections and Future Perspectives on Research in Arts for the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents

The Interuniversity Organization Arts & Knowledge (University of Salzburg/Mozarteum University Salzburg), in cooperation with the Salzburg Global / Health Programme and Education Programme, SIAM – Salzburg Institute for Arts in Medicine, and the International Network for the Critical Appraisal of Arts & Health Research are pleased to organize this day conference to reflect on the latest developments in this field. Building on our previous conference on the value of arts for health and arts in medicine in 2025, this event will address one of the most pressing global issues: the mental health of young people and the contribution of the arts. The aim is to raise awareness of this topic in Austria and internationally, and to learn from best practices and current developments globally.

Mental health problems in children and adolescents represent a major global concern. Over the past decade, the number of controlled research studies on music- and art-based therapies and programs on the mental health of young people has increased to such extent that a considerable number of reviews, including systematic reviews, Cochrane reviews, and even meta-analyses, have been published that assess the quality of the evidence and summarize the established knowledge. Further relevant development is the growth of social/arts prescribing for children and young people.

However, there are also some concerns raised for the quality of existing evidence on the effects of creative arts programs and therapy for young people with mental health challenges. Therefore, we want to engage in a productive discussion about the current state of research into the use of the arts to promote mental health in young people, as well as future directions for research, policy and practice. The presenters and discussants invited to the symposium are leading experts and authors of landmark publications in the field. The event is expected to draw wider attention of practitioners, artists, students, medical doctors, policy makers 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.  Registration / Coffee / Tea / Pastries (Meierhof Lobby)

Participants are asked to take the readiness diagnostic survey for a social movement in art & health

8.30 a.m.  Artistic Icebreakers (Tanz mit!) (Meierhof)
with Valerie Oberleithner

9.00 a.m. WELCOME AND INSTRUCTION (Fellows Hall)
Constanze Wimmer, Rector of Mozarteum University Salzburg, AT
Benjamin Glahn, CEO and managing director of programs at Salzburg Global, AT
Mary Helen Pombo, Head Health Programme | Dominic Regester, Head Education Programme, Salzburg Global, AT
Caitríona Ní Dhúill, Head of Arts & Knowledges, University of  Salzburg, AT
Leonhard Thun-Hohenstein, Chair of Salzburg Institute for Arts in Medicine (SIAM), Paracelsus Private Medical University Salzburg, AT
Stephen Clift, Canterbury Christ Church University, UK / Katarzyna Grebosz-Haring, Mozarteum University Salzburg, University of Salzburg, AT: Current Developments in the Field Austria and Globals Insights
Dame Janet Ritterman, Former Director of the Royal College of Music, London, UK: Goals of the Conference

Moderation: Mary Helen Pombo, Salzburg Global

9.30 a.m. Session 1: RESEARCH and EVIDENCE – PRACTICE & POLICY (Fellows Hall)
Key topics include: Social and arts prescribing, prevention and mental health promotion, community and school contexts

Introduction
Includes a reflection on the results of the survey and invites several fellows to comment on and reflect upon their responses. If possible, the polling may also be reopened to welcome additional responses.

9.35 a.m.
Presenter 1 / Research & Evidence: Anita Jensen (Lund University, Malmö / University Clinic Primary Care, Skåne University Hospital, Region Skåne, SE) & Nicola Holt (University of the West of England, Bristol, UK)
Social & Arts Prescription – An Overview and Critique
Presenter 2 / Research & Policy: Daisy Fancourt (University College London – UCL, UK)
Social Prescribing within Mental Health Services: international developments in research and policy
Presenter 3 / Practice:Valerie Oberleithner (Choreographer, Paris, F)
Artistic Resilience Suitcase (Prototype)

10.20 a.m. Q & A

10.30 a.m.
Presenter 4 / Research & Evidence: Nicole D’souza (University of Totonto, CA)
Social prescribing and arts-based approaches for postsecondary students
Presenter 5 / Practice: Andreas Bernhofer & Rosemarie Demelmair (University Mozarteum Salzburg, AT)
Choir Singing and Social Cohesion – Two Projects from Primary and Post-Secondary Education

11.00 a.m. Q & A

Moderation: Dame Janet Ritterman

11.15 a.m. Short Break – Coffee / Tea / Snacks (Meierhof Lobby)

11.30 a.m. Table discussion followed by plenary

 Moderation: Mary Helen Pombo & Julia Escriva Moreno

12 p.m. Lunch (Marble Hall, Schloss)

1.00 p.m. Walk around the lake (optional)

1.30 p.m. Session 2: RESEARCH & EVIDENCE – PRACTICE & POLICY  (Fellows Hall)
Key topics include: Art therapies, clinical settings, and psychiatric disorders

Introduction
Includes a reflection on the results of the survey and invites several fellows to comment on and reflect upon their responses. If possible, the polling may also be reopened to welcome additional responses.

1.35 p.m.
Presenter 6 / Evidence & Policy: Katherine Boydell (Black Dog Institute, SPHERE, UNSW Sydney, AU)
Culture Dose for Kids: An arts engagement program for 9-12-year-olds with parent-identified mild anxiety
Presenter 7 / Practice: Leonhard Thun-Hohenstein (Salzburg Institute for Arts in Medicine –SIAM, Paracelsus Private Medical University Salzburg, AT)
20 Years of Art Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Psychiatric Disorders

2.05 p.m. Q & A

2.15 p.m.
Presenter 8 / Practice & Evidence: Marie-Christine Klettner (University Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Christian Doppler Clinic, SALK/Paracelsus Private Medical University Salzburg, AT)
Spot on MozART: a multidisciplinary art project in child and adolescent psychiatry
Presenter 9 / Practice: Alexandra Häupl (University Hospital for Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine in Salzburg, AT)
‘YOUNG.ART With all senses’ – Integrating the healing power of arts into the treatment of young patients at the University Hospital for Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Salzburg, Austria
Presenter 10 / Evidence and Practice: Vicky Karkou (Edge Hill University, UK)
Arts for Blues
Presenter 11 / Impact & Upstream Change: Tasha Golden (Consultant, Artist, Behavioral Scientist; Adjunct Faculty: University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine)
Moving Upstream: Arts, Culture, and Social-Ecological Approaches to Youth Mental Health

3.00 p.m. Q & A

Moderation: Dame Janet Ritterman

3.15 p.m. Short Break (Tea/Coffee) & Group Strech  (Meierhof Lobby)

3.30 p.m. Table discussion followed by plenary

Moderation: Mary Helen Pombo & Julia Escriva Moreno

4.00 p.m.  Tea/Coffee Break & Research / Practice & Research Exhibit (Meierhof Lobby)

4.30 p.m. Session 3: FINAL PANEL (Fellows Hall)
Key questions/topics include: What can we learn from international best practices, and how can we apply these insights to shape the future of provision in Austria and more widely? Concrete recommendations for developments and change in research, policy and practice; Conclusions for the future; Aim is to understand and learn from the case studies which work; Create social movement change

Introduction
Includes a reflection on the results of the survey and invites several fellows to comment on and reflect upon their responses. If possible, the polling may also be reopened to welcome additional responses.

4.35 p.m.
Discussant 1: Lisa Katharina Mayer (The Austrian National Public Health Institute — Gesundheit Österreich GmbH, GÖG, AT) Social Prescribing Austria
Discussant 2: Stephen Clift (Canterbury Christ Church University, Royal Society for Public Health, UK
Critical appraisal
Discussant 3: Anita Jensen (Lund University, Malmö, Sweden / University Clinic Primary Care, Skåne University Hospital, Region Skåne, Sweden)
Clinical implications
Discussant 4: Dominic Regester (Salzburg Global, Education Programme, AT)
Social and emotional learning
Dicussant 5: Vicky Karkou (Edge Hill University, UK)

5.15 p.m. Short Break

5.30 p.m. Plenary

6.10 p.m. Closing Remark

Moderation: Mary Helen Pombo & Julia Escriva Moreno

6.20 p.m. PERFORMANCE / EXPLORING CREATIVITY, WELLBEING (Fellows Hall)

7.00 p.m. PROGRAME CLOSE

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

Sponsored by: Brahms Billroth Stiftung | Dreyer Stiftung | Salzburg Institute for Arts in Medicine (SIAM)

Programme download

PARTICIPATION ONLY WITH ONLINE REGISTRATION, LINK 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.