3.M. Skills building seminar: Culture, Arts and Mental Health

Abstract Improving mental health is a challenge, not only for the health sector, so research into innovative ways to improve mental health in the community is necessary. The WHO Regional Office for Europe together with its expert group on the cultural contexts of health and well-being promote a culturally grounded approach to enrich policies related to health and well-being. The cultural contexts of health and well-being argues that incorporating cultural issues into policy-making is critical to the development of adaptive, equitable and sustainable health care systems, and to making general improvements in many areas of population health and well-being. Population health and well-being are influenced by actions external to health care systems, also. By health-in-all-policies approach it is given an understanding of how policies in non-health domains can foster or constrain a culture and art for health. Social prescribing and art-for -health activities are important tool for improvenment mental health. This skils building seminar will discuss some good practice and examples, and also cooperation with experts from cultural sector in the mental health field. Key messages • The innovative concept of cooperation between Culture and Health institutions brought positive experiences and impressions to all participants who used ‘culture on prescription’. • The integration of arts into healthcare and community settings offers a holistic approach to promoting health and fostering well-being.