Cover photo: Meadow Orchard Project in Crouch End, London, Photo by Louis Charlton, 2022
Volume 9, Number 2: November 2022 | Essay
Arts and culture are powerful tools for improving outcomes in urban areas. Community projects and initiatives can radically support the mental and physical health of individuals, communities, and those with disabilities (Public Health England, 2016). Moreover, the arts can offer a positive lifeline for at-risk adolescents and potential re-offenders while also acting as a vital instrument in crime prevention and reduction (Arts Council England, 2018). Yet, the potential for arts and culture to improve health and crime in urban areas has not been utilised, despite the significant body of empirical literature and studies proving the benefits of such programmes. Current community interventions need to be re-evaluated, especially given the UK’s current mental and physical health crisis (Campbell, 2021). This article proposes community arts and culture initiatives as a solution for improving crime, as well as mental and physical health in urban areas.
Arts as an approach to urban crime
Governments and authorities like to remind citizens of the deeply entrenched notion that to reduce crime, we need more police officers, stricter punishments, and more surveillance. Whether you believe this to be true or not, however, is a separate debate. This article proposes arts and culture as a viable and effective alternative to the status quo approach to fixing urban crime.
There is a multitude of empirical evidence highlighting the benefits of using arts and culture to reduce urban crime, prevent re-offending, and protect individuals at risk of becoming involved in crime. Analysis conducted by the Ministry of Justice shows that offenders who received arts grants were significantly less likely to re-offend than those who did not (MoJ, 2015). Moreover, the UK commissioning guide for arts, culture, and innovation in criminal justice settings emphasises how arts can play a powerful role in engaging, motivating, and providing creative outlets and opportunities for individuals to develop new skills (NCJAA, 2016). Participating in arts activities also allows people to interact with others in their local communities, which is an important stage in the process of re-integrating into society. The benefits are threefold; transforming offenders’ and prisoners’ lives through effective education, and building safer communities as a result, while also being a cost-effective approach (NCJAA, 2018). This can help to reduce the social and financial burdens associated with re-offending.
Arts Council England, which allocates the majority of arts funding in the UK, identifies three fundamental reasons why these interventions are an effective approach to urban crime. The ‘democratic’ and personalised pedagogical methodology of the instructors has a destigmatising effect on offenders. The process of working and collaborating with others is associated with therapeutic benefits, and having a safe and affective space enables individuals to openly project their emotions and negotiate complexities (Arts Council England, 2018). These unique psycho-social drivers offer a fresh perspective into how we can approach the reintegration and rehabilitation of offenders, and challenge the outdated conventional norms of urban crime policy.
Arts as a health intervention
The UK’s National Health Service and social care system is in crisis (Butler & Crerar, 2022), with stripped budgets, staff shortages, and the archetypal clinical approach to mental and physical health struggling to meet the demands of the population. Re-imagining the medical model towards interventions based on wellbeing, prevention, and community engagement should alleviate the pressures on the current system and benefit the health of urban populations. Arts and cultural interventions are incredibly well-suited to this healthcare model, given the scope for flexible, personal, and group-based delivery. Public Health England, the executive agency of the UK health department, describes the arts as having “great potential to contribute to integrated, person-centred, health and social care” (Public Heath England, 2016). Similar to the criminal justice system, there is a considerable evidence base showing how arts can play a significant role in public health. However, policymakers have been slow to acknowledge the evidence or potential of this form of intervention (Health Care Development Agency, 2016). Awareness of the substantial body of evidence must be raised and appropriately presented to those responsible for commissioning projects, if the arts are to succeed in becoming an integral aspect of health policy.
Creative health and arts can profoundly impact individuals ranging from early childhood all the way through to those at the end of their lives. Dr. Jane Povey, GP and director of a creative health group, promotes how creative interventions can have a “significant impact” on reducing isolation in elderly communities and provide physical and psychological support for those facing death (APPG, 2017). A pioneering study on the role of music lessons on stroke victims in Hull found that 86% of patients felt the sessions alleviated their disability symptoms, and 91% of patients experienced social benefits, such as enhanced communication and relationships (APPG, 2017). In London, after participating in arts programmes, researchers found that over 77% of participants ate healthier, exercised more, and generally enjoyed greater wellbeing (APPG, 2017). These studies and outcomes build a convincing case for deeper integration of arts into the UK’s health system.
As per the government’s latest fiscal statement, public services in the UK are facing £28 billion in cuts (Stewart, 2022). It is crucial that policymakers embrace interventions that save money while still delivering tangible benefits. The Creative Health Inquiry provides robust evidence highlighting the economic and money-saving benefits of creative interventions. For every £1 invested in arts prescription, the social return on investments ranges between £4 to £11. Further, arts prescription projects have shown a 37% drop in GP appointments and a 27% reduction in hospital admissions, equating to saving £216 per person (APPG, 2017). There is a solid economic case for arts as a practical and cost-effective solution in the health and criminal system.
Practical issues
It is important to scrutinise the feasibility of integrating arts and culture into national health and crime policy. Kate Phillips (2019), in her review of the Creative Health inquiry, is sceptical of the impartiality and presentation of the evidence and emphasises the need for more robust, rigorous, and neutral research into the scaling up of creative healthcare programmes. Still, Phillips recognises the encouraging results and conclusions of this report. Arts Council England also highlights the relative infancy of studies in the criminal justice system and the importance of further building on them (McMahon, 2018). In order to enact change in the UK’s criminal justice and health system, the standard of evidence must be incredibly high and reliable. This has practical implications on how decision-makers can formally recognise arts and cultural studies, given the unique challenges associated with scientifically evaluating arts interventions (Arts Council England, 2018). The creative health community must ensure that studies adopt scientific best practices and are balanced, critical, and reliable if the results will be seriously considered in relation to shaping public policy.
Public opinion and media narratives also act as a barrier to political support for cultural initiatives. The tabloid media often push the idea that arts and cultural opportunities for offenders and prisoners provide “unearned privileges for criminals,” which can end up influencing public opinions and political decisions against arts as an intervention (NCJAA, 2018). Ideological barriers and misconceptions must be addressed. If there is no political mandate or support for this policy, it will never be implemented on a national scale.
Concluding remarks
Arts and culture have the potential to play a profoundly effective role in the UK’s health and criminal system and should be embraced at a national level. Policymakers must recognise the significant and ever-increasing body of empirical evidence pointing towards the benefits creative schemes can have on mental health, physical health, individuals with disabilities, re-offending, and rehabilitation in the criminal justice sector. The cost-saving aspect of this methodology should also incentivise policymakers to consider adopting a new approach, given the current climate of public sector cuts. Encouraging a diverse range of individuals to engage in creative activities can also enrich society’s culture and benefit the economy. It is the responsibility of the creative intervention community to enhance the reliability and reputation of arts as a viable solution to health and crime if we are to see creative interventions rolled out on a national scale.
References
All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing (APPG). (2017, July). Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing (short version). Retrieved from https://www.culturehealthandwellbeing.org.uk/appg-inquiry/Publications/Creative_Health_The_Short_Report.pdf
All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing (APPG). (2017, July). Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing. Retrieved from https://www.culturehealthandwellbeing.org.uk/appg-inquiry/Publications/Creative_Health_Inquiry_Report_2017_-_Second_Edition.pdf
Arts Council England. (2018, November 23). Arts and culture in health and wellbeing and in the criminal justice system: A summary of evidence. Retrieved November 30, 2022, from https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/arts-and-culture-health-and-wellbeing-and-criminal-justice-system-summary-evidence
Butler, P., & Crerar, P. (2022, September 21). Adult social care in England is in crisis, say Tory council leader. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/sep/21/adult-social-care-in-england-is-in-crisis-say-tory-council-leaders
Campbell, D. (2021, April 9). Extent of mental health crisis in England at ‘terrifying’ level. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/09/extent-of-mental-health-crisis-in-england-at-terrifying-level
Health Care Development Agency. (2016). Art for health: A review of good practice in community-based arts projects and initiatives which impact on health and wellbeing. Retrieved from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/142883/Art_for_Health.pdf
McMahon, J. (2018, November 23). Art, health and criminal justice – the evidence stacks up. Retrieved from https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/blog/art-health-and-criminal-justice-evidence-stacks
Ministry of Justice. (2015). Justice Data Lab Re‐offending Analysis: Prisoners Education Trust Art and Hobby Materials. Retrieved from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270086/arts-materials-report.pdf
National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCCJA). (2016, October 12). Arts, Culture and Innovation in Criminal Justice Settings: A guide for comissioners. Retrieved from https://artsincriminaljustice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/CommissioningGuide_FINAL.pdf
National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCCJA). (2018). Why do arts in criminal justice matter? Retrieved from http://artsincrimjustice.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/13113955/NCJAA-Flyer_FINAL-1.pdf
Public Health England (2016, January). Arts for Health and Wellbeing: An evaluation framework. Retrieved November 30, 2022, from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/765496/PHE_Arts_and_Health_Evaluation_FINAL.pdf
Phillips, K. (2018). A constructive-critical response to creative health: The arts for health and wellbeing (July 2017) by the All–Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing. International Journal of Art Therapy, 24(1), 21-29. doi:10.1080/17454832.2018.1491612
Stewart, H. (2022, November 17). UK government spending: Where the cuts will fall. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/nov/17/uk-government-spending-where-the-cuts-will-fall
Very interesting remarks made in this essay – enabling art communities to enhance culture and limit crime and the economic expenditures that comes with a punitive justice system. Strong arguments made for the actual positive and preventive effects that arts can have on the rehabilitation of criminals as well as empowering social culture in local communities. Well done 🙂
A very interesting subject. If arts and culture play an effective role in reducing crime rates, costs could be greatly reduced. However, how would this be accomplished? For example, if it is used solely to rehabilitate people caught committing crimes, those who avoid arrest would not be able to obtain rehabilitation through arts and culture. Therefore, we believe that it would be useful to change the city from the way it is, for example, by adding street art to walls in various parts of the city. In any case, the positive effects of art and culture will be applicable not only in the UK but in many other countries, and it is a very good idea.
I think that enhancing arts to prevent crime and to improve health and wellbeing is a very interesting approach that we do not hear about enough. When it comes to the topic of preventing urban crime, commonly mentioned solutions often have to do with for example stricter law enforcement. This is however rather costly.
Very interesting to look at a solution for crime and an improvement in health through the usage of art. I have never thought or read about this before, and therefore, this article provided me with a lot of new insights. Also very nice that you talked about the practical issues as that can become a big hustle.
The topic of the essay is very interesting, it highlights an alternative perspective on tackling urban crimes. It is well written, with factual language and well supported arguments. Many reliable sources are included, increasing overall credibility of the article.