Arts Hobbies

Introduction

Creating or experiencing arts in all forms is greatly beneficial to our wellbeing. Hobbies can introduce art into our lives.

A new review of 38 studies confirms that simply viewing visual art can significantly enhance wellbeing, regardless of whether it’s done in a gallery, hospital, or even virtually.—Viewing Art Boosts Wellbeing | Neuroscience News
Art is anything you can get away with.—The Medium is the Massage, Marshall McLuhan | Amazon
Aesthetic experience, in many settings, may promote well-being.—Art and Psychological Well-Being: Linking the Brain to the Aesthetic Emotion | Frontiers
Average levels of cortisol and self-report stress were significantly reduced by the visit to the gallery […] We conclude that the gallery visit caused rapid normalisation (recovery) from the consequences of high stress.—Normalisation of salivary cortisol levels and self-report stress by a brief lunchtime visit to an art gallery by London City workers | WestminsterResearch
Empirical evidence indicates that participation in arts activities has a beneficial impact on students’ stress levels, feelings of achievement, and general state of well-being. In addition, art activities are crucial for developing self-awareness, emotional intelligence, confidence, problem-solving abilities, creative thinking, and mindfulness practices.—Impact of arts activities on psychological well-being: Emotional intelligence as mediator and perceived stress as moderator | ScienceDirect
Looking at art can immediately release dopamine, the chemical related to love and pleasure.—Inner Vision: An Exploration of Art and the Brain | The University of Chicago Press
Making art also reduces stress and negative emotions, creating an experience akin to meditation. Similar to meditation, art draws people’s attention to details and the environment, which creates a distraction from day-to-day thoughts.—The Benefits of Art on Memory and Creativity | Invaluable
Making or even just seeing art can impact the brain, increase serotonin levels, increase blood flow to pleasure centers, foster new ways of thinking, and help imagine a more hopeful future.—The intersection of art and health | Mayo Clinic Press
Participants improved in their self-perceptions of problem solving and having good ideas. Participants found the drawing tasks relaxing but wanted more time per task.—Functional near-infrared spectroscopy assessment of reward perception based on visual self-expression: Coloring, doodling, and free drawing | ScienceDirect
People who engage in arts and culture experience less depression in later life and feel that life is more worthwhile, which in turn is linked to a range of physical health benefits.—Evidence brief: how the arts can support mental health and wellbeing in adulthood | UCL
Participants observed that the visual art production group showed greater spatial improvement in functional connectivity […] We found a significant improvement in psychological resilience from pre-intervention to post-intervention in the visual art production group.—How Art Changes Your Brain: Differential Effects of Visual Art Production and Cognitive Art Evaluation on Functional Brain Connectivity | PubMed Central
Results demonstrated that average levels of self-reported stress and arousal were signiﬁcantly reduced by a brief art museum visit during lunchtime […] The museum experience increased visitors’ feelings of pleasantness, happiness, and enjoyment and decreased their sense of wakefulness, alertness, and tension.—Influence of an Art Museum Visit on Individuals’ Psychological and Physiological Indicators of Stress | University of Washington
The arts can make a powerful contribution to health and well-being. There are many examples and much evidence of the beneficial impact they can have.—Arts, health and wellbeing | NHS Confederation
The literature suggests art museum visitation is associated with reductions in ill-being outcomes and increases in well-being outcomes.—Art museums as institutions for human flourishing: The Journal of Positive Psychology | Taylor & Francis Online
The research shows that individuals who regularly engage in creative pursuits report improved mood, better mental health, and increased overall life satisfaction.—Groundbreaking New Research Reveals the Power of the Arts to Improve Wellbeing | Breathe
There is promising evidence for effects of viewing artwork on reducing stress.—Evidence for the effects of viewing visual artworks on stress outcomes: a scoping review | PubMed Central
There is promising preliminary evidence from individual observational studies that people who engage with the arts are more likely to lead healthier lives.—What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being? A scoping review | NCBI
Visiting the gallery has been found to relieve people of mental exhaustion, the same way the outdoors can.—Beyond Learning: Exploring Visitors’ Perceptions of the Value and Benefits of Museum Experiences | Wiley Online Library
[…] a systematic review of 37 studies found that creative arts therapies can significantly reduce stress.—Creative Arts Interventions for Stress Management and Prevention – A Systematic Review | PubMed
Can art be good for you? | National Galleries of Scotland | YouTube