Come together: The importance of arts and cultural engagement within the Liverpool City Region throughout the COVID-19 lockdown periods

Frontiers in Psychology

article

Melissa Chapple¹  Antonina Anisimovich²  Joanne Worsley¹  Megan Watkins³  Josie Billington²  Ekaterina Balabanova⁴ 

[1] Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool;Department of English, University of Liverpool;National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health;Department of Communication and Media, University of Liverpool

关键词: arts engagement;    Mental Health;    wellbeing;    online provision;    COVID-19;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1011771

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Arts and cultural engagement activities have long been found to support mental health and wellbeing within the general population. In particular, community arts and cultural involvement during the COVID-19 pandemic has been an invaluable source of mental health support for many individuals across the globe. The initial move to remote engagement following the first UK lockdown demonstrated the importance of hybrid provisions, with isolated and vulnerable individuals finding online provisions important for wellbeing. With restrictions on movement and service access in the UK having gradually eased from March 2021, it is now important to explore how individuals navigated the ability to engage with either remote or in-person provisions. The current study aimed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on arts and cultural engagement during periods of restrictions and initial easings on movement within the Liverpool City Region. Findings presented in the current study provide further evidence of the value of arts and cultural activities in supporting mental health and wellbeing. Specifically, the current data emphasise the value of arts and cultural engagement throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and particularly during times of national restriction. Furthermore, the current study demonstrated that remote engagement provided important mental health support throughout the pandemic, but with limitations on feelings of social connectedness within online environments. Amidst continuing risks from the COVID-19 virus and feelings of uncertainty, this study highlights the importance of hybrid provisions.

【 授权许可】

CC BY