‘I’m not a therapist you know... I’m an artist’: Facilitating well-being and basic psychological needs satisfaction through community arts participation

Abstract

The role of the artist is crucial to the success of arts for health initiatives yet remains underexplored in the research literature. This article examines the practice of arts facilitation through the lens of self-determination theory (SDT). Fourteen interviews with artists leading projects for older adults across three settings were subject to a secondary thematic analysis. A hybrid approach was adopted with themes developed inductively and deductively. Artists were found to satisfy participants' basic psychological needs in diverse ways. Autonomy: artists spoke of valuing the expression of individual differences and identities, encouraging participants to assume ownership of projects. Competence: developing participants' aptitudes and skills and repairing negative self-beliefs emerged as common goals. Relatedness: artists sought to cultivate social interaction within groups and forge relationships with participants themselves. Self-determination theory provides a well-validated framework to conceptualize the psycho-social processes mediating arts project outcomes relating to psychological wellbeing.

The Process, Challenges and Opportunities of Developing a Curriculum in a Creative and Therapeutic Arts Undergraduate Degree Programme

“…In recognising the diversity of terminology identified in the literature (Swindells et al . ), a significant challenge was to determine which vocabulary to adopt in the curriculum. The Course Team were eager to maintain the broad range of potential career trajectories for which the course has become known, but also to deliver suitably rich, in‐depth teaching on each area for undergraduate study (QAA ).…”

“…Thus, while the course title might not directly represent some of the specific sub‐disciplines of the practice, and the inclusion and connotation of the word ‘therapeutic’ can be problematic (Swindells et al . ), students reported that the broadness of the title and its lack of focus on one specific profession enabled introduction to a wide range of disciplines which students might not otherwise have sought out or pursued. While a shift in course title may attract a different demographic and perhaps enable a tighter alignment between applicants and a specific trajectory such as Arts in Health, the Course Team are eager to maintain an inclusive stance which celebrates students’ diverse ambitions and enables pursuit of a portfolio career in considering the vast array of professional opportunities the course and discipline affords.…”

“…This was potentially the most challenging dimension of the curriculum to develop responsibly, reflecting on the boundary between therapy and therapeutic practice (Swindells et al . ), or art‐ in‐ therapy or art‐ as ‐therapy (Losinski et al . ).…”

“…Swindells et al . 's () article was seen as a crucial example of informed articulation of practice and affirmed self‐determination theory (Ryan & Deci ) as a highly relevant framework to underpin teaching: ‘A key factor is that both domains [positive psychology and arts in health] consider health as something beyond an absence of dysfunction and disease and share an interest in understanding the factors that constitute and cultivate wellness’ (Swindells et al . , 364).…”

“…This is further magnified in a unique programme, one of only two in the UK, which trains undergraduate students in Participatory Arts; a challenging practice to define:

Indeed community arts practice seems to be commonly defined by what it is not: formal education or therapy… Price ( , p. 332) compares his multifunctional position … as being akin to a ‘human version of a Swiss pen‐knife’ as he switches between ‘lecturer, facilitator, youth worker, confidant, advisor technician and child‐minder’ .(Swindells et al . , 348–9)

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