Researchers at The University of Western Australia have found that engagement in the arts for enjoyment, entertainment or as a hobby, for two or more hours a week, is associated with good mental wellbeing.
The award-winning study, published in BMC Public Health, is the first internationally to quantify the relationship between mental wellbeing and arts engagement in the general population.
Lead author Dr Christina Davies said good mental health was the foundation for individual and community wellbeing, yet every year one in five Australians experience mental illness.
“People need a range of easy enjoyable options they can use to stay well,” she said.