Spanish Ministries of Health and Culture Join Forces to Incorporate Arts into Mental Health Policies
Spain’s Health and Culture Ministries have signed a landmark agreement to integrate the arts into mental health policies, promoting cultural participation as a therapeutic tool in public health.
- • Spanish Ministries of Health and Culture sign agreement integrating arts into mental health policies.
- • WHO supports arts as improving mental health and aiding disease management.
- • Cultural prescriptions will be implemented in primary healthcare settings.
- • Training programs for health professionals and cultural agents will promote collaboration between sectors.
Key details
The Spanish Ministries of Health and Culture have recently signed an interministerial agreement aimed at integrating arts and cultural participation into public health policies, with a particular focus on mental health promotion and well-being. This initiative represents a significant advancement in recognizing culture as a valuable tool for health promotion, disease prevention, and treatment recovery, supported by evidence from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The agreement responds to the WHO's 2019 report which reviewed over 900 studies demonstrating that arts positively impact disease management and psychological recovery. According to Health Minister Mónica García, this collaboration marks a pivotal step in embracing culture for enhancing mental health strategies. Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun highlighted scientific evidence that cultural participation reduces stress, anxiety, and even alleviates suffering in palliative care.
Under this framework, cultural prescriptions will be introduced in primary healthcare, enabling healthcare professionals to recommend artistic and cultural activities as part of health treatments. Tools such as Localiza Salud will facilitate identifying cultural resources within communities for therapeutic use. The agreement also plans to develop training programs for health professionals, artists, and cultural managers to foster effective collaboration between the health and cultural sectors.
Complementing this national initiative, the Mental Health Week in Sagunto was inaugurated, featuring cultural activities such as a theatrical performance titled "Aquí algo no cuadra" and an art exhibition "Lliures" showcasing ceramic works by participants from the Voramar center. These local events reflect the growing recognition of arts within mental health advocacy and community support frameworks.
This agreement exemplifies Spain’s commitment to international trends promoting arts as an essential component in mental health care, enhancing resilience, social inclusion, and communication across all life stages.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.