New roles for art galleries: Art-viewing as a community intervention for family carers of people with mental health problems

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to understand the psychological and social aspects of how art-viewing, in a public art gallery, could be used as an activity to support family carers of people with mental health problems. Methods: Using grounded theory methodology, interviews from eight carer-participants and two facilitator-participants were analysed, along with podcasts created from audio-recordings of the gallery sessions. Results: Art-viewing was conceptualised as an experience that engaged carers on emotional, aesthetic and educational levels. Psychological processes such as mentalising, reflexivity and externalising were identified in the responses stimulated by art-viewing. Conclusions: The findings suggest that art-viewing in a group within a gallery setting has the potential to be used more widely as a community-based, low-cost and non-clinical activity to provide social and psychological support for carers of people with mental-health problems.

Keywords:

• carers
• caregivers
• art gallery
• mental health
• grounded theory

Notes

1. The term “art-viewing” is used throughout this study to describe looking at art, and as distinct from “art-making”.

2. The terms “carers” and “caregivers” are used in Britain and North America, respectively, to denote people who care for others. They are used interchangeably in this paper.

3. Please see Shear et al. (2008) for additional information about the use of podcasts as one form of Information Prescription (www.informationprescription.info/).

4. Quotes from transcripts have been selected as illustrations of categories and sub-categories.

5. The painting can be viewed at: www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?workid = 3821.