Program found to reduce anxiety in children through art

A mental health program involving art, delivered to more than 540 parents and children, is found to have significantly reduced anxiety in children aged 9–12.

The program — called Culture Dose for Kids — by Art Gallery of New South Wales and Black Dog Institute, allows participants to observe, describe, imagine and interpret a work of art in a positive and safe environment.

Delivered to parents and children at the Art Gallery of NSW and across 14 galleries in regional New South Wales — many in areas that have been deeply affected by natural disasters — program participation was found to have led to an improvement in social connectedness among the children involved.

Over the eight-week Culture Dose for Kids pilot program, held from May to June 2022, children experienced a 29% decrease in overall anxiety and depression scores as measured by parent evaluation, as well as a 15% decrease in overall anxiety and depression scores as self-reported by the young people.

The research also found that engaging both parent and child in the program improved the overall wellbeing of the family and gave parents significant support and new strategies in dealing with mental health issues, which affects approximately one in seven young Australians before 14 years of age.

“With increasing social and environmental pressures, many worsened by climate disasters, it has never been more urgent to think outside the box when it comes to mental health care,” said Professor Katherine Boydell, chief investigator for Culture Dose for Kids and director, arts-based knowledge translation lab at Black Dog Institute.

Culture Dose for Kids is informed by the Art Gallery’s knowledge and experience in developing inclusive and multi-sensory access programs, including the Starting with Art program for school students with disability and the Art and Dementia program for people with lived experience of dementia and their care partners.

Art Gallery of New South Wales senior access programs producer Danielle Gullotta said by regularly engaging in art-marking experiences and open-ended interpretation of artworks, individuals can process ideas and concepts that can be difficult to express in words. The program is supported by the Jibb Foundation.

“Programs like Culture Dose for Kids provide creative, innovative solutions, but more funding is essential to expand their reach and impact. As we approach another hot summer and the end of a busy year, it’s important to remember that art can nourish and revive us.”