

Culture helps us foster a sense of meaning and identity, it can expand horizons, place contemporary challenges within an historical frame, and inspire us to imagine a better future. Beyond economic benefits, promoting social cohesion, and inspiring contemporary creativity, the arts contribute to the health and well-being of individuals and communities. Although in 2019 the World Health Organization has published a report with evidence on the role of the arts in improving health, this evidence is not yet widely known and followed up on policy level in most countries.
Cluj Cultural Centre and its partners aim to bring together at Culture and Well-being Forum 2022 policy makers, practitioners and researchers from all around Europe to discuss the opportunities for joint policy and action among the health, cultural and social sectors. Following the CultureForHealth policy workshops from Denmark and Italy, the event is facilitating cross-sectoral and trans-European cooperation aiming to generate knowledge and compile policy guidelines on how to enhance well-being through culture.
The event consists of three days of policy dialogue, roundtables, workshops and conversations around inspiring case studies. It includes two days of public conference sessions and a one day ideathon where invited experts will draft recommendations for policies at local, national and EU level on how to harness the power of the arts to more effectively address global health and social challenges. The working sessions are based on the findings of the “CultureForHealth Scoping review of culture, well-being, and health interventions and their evidence, impacts, challenges and policy recommendations for Europe” to be officially launched on November 16th 2022.
The event will take place in Cluj-Napoca, Romania and it is planned for in-person participation. The event will be held in English, simultaneous translation into Romanian will be provided for the public session of the 27th of October.
Join us for the Culture and Well-being Forum 2022, which is dedicated this year to the CultureForHealth initiative!
CultureForHealth Ideathon. Culture-based solutions for global health and social challenges
*by invitation only
Art Museum, Piața Unirii 30, Toniza Room [public event]
09.30-10.00 Welcome drinks
10.00-10.45 Welcome and Introduction
Moderator: Niels Righolt, Danish Centre for Arts & Interculture, Director, CAE Board Member, Denmark
Welcome messages (20 min)
Olah Emese, Vice Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Monica Urian, European Commission, Policy Officer
Nils Fietje, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Technical Officer
Introduction (25 min)
Culture for Health project - Kornelia Kiss, Culture Action Europe, Projects and Operations Director, Belgium
Presentation of the CultureForHealth Scoping Review and Policy Recommendations - Mafalda Dâmaso, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Lecturer in Cultural Industries and Policy, UK/Netherlands and Rarița Zbranca, Cluj Cultural Centre, Programme Director, Romania
10.45-12.30 Culture and Health Policy Dialogue
Moderator: Niels Fietje, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Technical Officer
Case studies:
Singing for maternal mental health pilot projects in Romania and Denmark, World Health Organization, Cluj Cultural Centre, and Central Denmark Region
With: Hanna Ugron, Cluj Cultural Centre, Project Manager, Romania; Louise Frøkjær Carstens, Central Denmark Region; Oana Blaga, Babeș-Bolyai University, Public Health Researcher, Romania; Alexandra Făgărășan & Johanna Bertoti, music leads
Museums for Dementia - Anne Marie Rechendorff, The Old Town in Aarhus, Project Director, Denmark
Reflections:
Andreea Popescu, World Health Organization, Romania Office, Project Coordinator
Doina Baltaru, „Dr. Constantin Papilian” Emergency Military Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, General Director, Romania
Samuele Tonello, EuroHealthNet, Policy and Research Officer, Belgium
Pauliina Lapio, Art & Well-being Specialist, Finland
12.30-13.30 Lunch&Networking
13.30-14.30 How to programme culture initiatives for health and well-being? Workshops
Museums, Libraries and Well-being
Inga Surgunte, Skaidrs, Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture, Latvia
Anne Marie Rechendorff, The Old Town in Aarhus, Project Director, Denmark
Music and Health
Hanna Ugron, Cluj Cultural Centre, Project Manager, Romania
Alexandra Făgărășan & Johanna Bertoldi, Singing for maternal mental health, music leads, Romania
Bogdan Racolța, Cercul Întreg/Arta Capoeira Association, President, Romania
Corina Ceclan, Gheorghe Dima Music Academy of Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Creative Activities and Social Inclusion
Carmen Valero - Red Noses Clowndoctor International, Programme Manager Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships, Austria
Indre Juodike, Panevezys Municipality, Chief specialist of investment projects, Lithuania
Laco Oravec, Stanica/Truc Spherique, Researcher, Slovakia
Lydia Buchner, Oltre Association, President, Italy
14.30-15.00 Coffee&Tea Break
15.00-16.00 Frameworks and Tools for Measuring Cultural Impacts on Well-being
Moderator: Niels Righolt, Danish Centre for Arts & Interculture, Director, CAE Board Member, Denmark
UNESCO Culture 2030 Indicators - SDG 3, Norbert Petrovici, Babeș-Bolyai University, The Interdisciplinary Centre for Data Science, Romania
Measuring the Social Impact of Culture: Health and Well-being, Sendy Ghirardi, Econcult, Research Center in Economics of Culture and Tourism, Faculty of Economics, University of Valencia, Research Fellow, Spain
OurCluj / ArtiVistory Initiative - Assessing Youth Well-being through Artistic Research - Anamaria Tomiuc, University of Art and Design Cluj-Napoca, Associate Professor, Romania
Reflections:
Robert Manchin, Europa Nova, President, Hungary
Luisella Carnelli, Fondazione Fitzcarraldo, Senior Researcher, Italy
15.50-16.15 Coffee&Tea Break
16.15-17.30 Arts, Urban Design and Well-being Roundtable
Moderator: Niels Righolt, Danish Centre for Arts & Interculture, Director, CAE Board Member, Denmark
Case study: Co-designing a space for art and well-being in the Onisifor Ghibu High School, Cluj-Napoca
With: Cristina Rogoz, Cluj Cultural Centre, Project Manager; Eliza Jurca, Architect; Raluca Popa, Onisifor Ghibu High School, School Counselor, Romania
Presentations:
Architecture for Health and Well-being - Laura Arpiainen, Professor, Aalto University in Helsinki, Finland
Baukultur - The Integrated Challenge for Urban Policies, Eugen Pănescu, Montag Studio, Founder, Romania
Reflection:
Atis Eglins-Eglitis, Cesis Municipality, Deputy Mayor, Latvia
Calea Dorobanților 30-36, Cluj-Napoca (you will receive the other details about location after registration) [public event]
9.30-11.00 Culture and Work-related Well-being Policy Dialogue
Moderator: Niels Righolt, Danish Centre for Arts & Interculture, Director, CAE Board Member
Case studies:
Overcoming Burnout through Arts
With: Claudia Cacovean, Cluj Cultural Centre, Project Manager; Raluca Bugnar, Create.Act.Enjoy, PR & Communication; Marina Dascăl, Babes-Bolyai University, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Political Administrative and Communication Sciences, Researcher
Certificate Cultural Company, Urška Jež, City of Women Association, president of the Managing Board, Slovenia
Reflections:
Ovidiu Cîmpean, Ministry of Investments and European Projects, State Secretary
Ugnė Grigaitė, Lisbon Institute of Global Mental Health, Fellow, Portugal/Lithuania
Răzvan Cherecheș, Babeș-Bolyai University, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, Romania
Ștefan Teișanu, Cluj Cultural Centre, Executive Director, Romania
11.00-11.30 Coffee&Tea Break
11.30-13.00 Conclusions: Planning for well-being. Summary of policy proposals
Moderator: Niels Righolt, Danish Centre for Arts & Interculture, Director, CAE Board Member
Calum Smith - World Health Organization, Consultant
Mafalda Damaso, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Lecturer in Cultural Industries and Policy, UK/Netherlands
Monica Urian, European Commission, Policy Officer