Culture: The Commission brings together stakeholders to discuss the role of culture as a driver for health and well-being in EU policies

Today, Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, and Sabine Verheyen, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education, are jointly organising the seminar “Culture as a driver for health and well-being in the EU.” 

Participants from all over Europe and from various backgrounds, including cultural players, medical practitioners, architects, and representatives of municipalities will discuss the role that culture plays for health and well-being.

Ahead of the event Commissioner Gabriel said: “Culture and arts play a fundamental role to improve health and well-being. With this first-of-its-kind event, in cooperation with the European Parliament, we will demonstrate how EU-funded existing best practices can inspire. Joining forces across culture, creation, health and education for long-lasting social impact: this is our ambition.” The event will be the occasion for the “CultureForHealth” project to present its recommendations, based on a series of roundtables, study visits, webinars and workshops. Ahead of this event, the Commission published a brochure with good practice examples of EU funded projects linking culture, health and well-being.

This seminar on “Culture as a driver for health and well-being in the EU” comes as one of the actions undertaken by the European Commission and the European Parliament to inspire a true policy change in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on everyday life, as it became necessary to address the topics of culture, health and well-being at a larger scale. The seminar is part of the Commission’s work on mental health, whose importance has been underlined by President von der Leyen in her latest Sate of the Union address.