The Board of Trustees of Young Audiences of New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania (YANJEP) invites you to our educational book study of Art Cure, by Daisy Fancourt. Daisy Fancourt is a professor of psychology and epidemiology at University College London, where she heads the Social Biobehavioural Research Group, and is director of the World Health Organization’s Collaborating Centre for Arts and Health.

YANJEP’s mission is to inspire young people and enhance their learning through the arts. The overarching goal of the YANJEP book study is to nurture a learning community of educators, artists, administrators, arts supporters, and mental health professionals to uplift arts education as a tool to improve mental health and wellbeing. Featuring guest conversation leaders, our exploration will include in-school arts education practices that emphasize SEL (Social Emotional Learning) and support student wellbeing.

Free and open to the public.

By combining the readings from Art Cure with the Executive Summary of the Mental Health America Project, this structured approach helps participants (including YANJEP staff and Teaching Artists) engage deeply with both the theoretical foundations and practical applications of arts in mental health, reinforcing YANJEP’s commitment to advancing social and emotional development, and mental health and well-being through arts education.

Session 1: The Role of Art in Health and Well-being
Reading: Prelude, Chapter 1 & 2

Topics Covered:

• The necessity of art in our lives
• Defining art and its diverse forms
• The impact of the arts on well-being and mental health

Insights from YANJEP Staff:

• Discussion on how Daisy Fancourt establishes arts engagement as a vital “fifth pillar of health,” emphasizing its role alongside diet, sleep, exercise, and nature.
• Exploration of how engaging with the arts in school settings enhances students’ social and emotional development (SED) and drives positive mental health outcomes.

Activities

• Group Discussion: Participants will draw from their reading of Art Cure and share personal experiences related to mental health and well-being, linking insights from the Mental Health America Grant-funded project.
• Reflection Moment: A dedicated time for participants to connect Fancourt’s insights on mental health, emotional regulation, and well-being, encouraging personal reflection.

Book Study Materials:

• Daisy Fancourt’s Art Cure
• PDF Executive Summary of the Mental Health America grant project, outlining objectives, outcomes, and key findings.

Session 2: The Science Behind Art’s Impact
Reading: Chapter 3, 4 & 5

Topics Covered:

• Psychological mechanisms: emotional regulation and self-esteem
• Arts as a form of movement and expression
• Strategies for managing stress through creative outlets

Insights from YANJEP Staff:

• Illustrating how Fancourt’s research shows that active arts participation triggers psychological mechanisms that help students process complex emotions and build resilience.
• Discussion on how structured creative activities serve as coping mechanisms, providing emotional safety and encouraging self-esteem.

Activities:

• Interactive Discussion: Participants will share insights from Art Cure and the Executive Summary, discussing how these concepts resonate with their experiences and the impact of arts on mental health.
• Group Activity: Exploring various art forms that effectively serve as coping mechanisms for processing emotions, encouraging participants to reflect on personal practices.

Session 3: Overcoming Barriers and Promoting Arts Engagement
Reading: Chapters 6, 7 and Coda

Topics Covered:

• Social mechanisms: reducing isolation and building cohesion
• Identifying barriers to arts engagement
• Strategies for increasing access to arts education and promoting equity

Insights from YANJEP Staff:

• Discussing how Fancourt’s findings reveal the arts as an antidote to loneliness and social fragmentation, facilitating shared social spaces and group cohesion in educational settings.
• Exploration of how arts programs contribute to systemic improvements in student well-being, including reductions in clinical referrals and increased classroom engagement.

Activities:

• Brainstorming Session: Participants will discuss common obstacles to arts participation and collaboratively identify strategies to overcome them, focusing on equity and inclusion.
• Chat Reflection: Participants are asked to write in the Zoom chat about who they can collaborate with or encourage to use insights from Art Cure or information about YANJEP’s work with Mental Health America. This includes encouraging YANJEP Board of Trustees to identify ways they can promote the organization’s work through a mental health and well-being lens.