The role of art therapy in a pilot for art-based Information Prescriptions at Tate Britain

Abstract

This paper describes the results of a pilot project involving a partnership between Oxleas Foundation NHS Trust and Tate Britain aimed at producing art-based information prescriptions. Carers and service users used visual images, in the form of art works in Tate Britain and self-created pictures, as a means of communicating their experience for others who had similar conditions and experiences. The imagery and the discussions involved were recorded in Podcast form to be given to those newly entering into contact with mental health services. Whilst explicitly not aiming to be a therapy intervention, art therapy played a particular role and this is explored in the paper, specifically as a tool for psychological engagement with art works and in the management of risk. The pilot showed that information prescriptions produced this way communicated emotionally relevant material in an accessible form. An added benefit of the sessions was that participants found the production method itself helpful for processing troubling experience and engaging with the gallery's work on a personal level. This has implications for clinical art therapy practice.

Keywords:

• Gallery
• art therapy
• podcast
• information prescriptions