BETER, de kunst van gezondheid

The BETER Consortium investigates the effects of art on (public) health. Can art make people better?   The Project Health care and culture lead to heated discussions in these times of cutbacks. There is growing tension between the demands for demonstrable benefits and measurable results on the one hand and the need for subjective values and quality of life on the other. Many people agree that art enriches our lives and therefore contributes to our wellbeing. But is the potential beneficial effect of art measurable? On 9 November a publicly accessible research exhibition opens in Haaglanden Medical Centre, where for the first time a scientific answer is sought to the question: What is the effect of art on our health? The Exhibition The artworks in the BETER exhibition in Haaglanden Medical Centre and Gemak, both in The Hague, will be examined for their possible health benefits. Specific investigations will take place in waiting rooms, meetings rooms, corridors and operating rooms. Some patients will be asked to take an artwork (or a placebo) home. In total, around 50 artworks and placebos will be located throughout the hospital. Visit the (Dutch) website of BETER