The association
The story began in 2019 with the workshop organized by the Federal Chancellery "Arts for Health" (link to event report), which brought this topic up for discussion on a broad scale for the first time in Austria. This was accompanied by the publication of the magazine "Kultur anf Rezept" was published, in which AfHA founder Edith Wolf Perez contributed as an author.
Despite a wide range of exemplary initiatives, there is still too little awareness in Austria, both in the cultural and health sectors, and hardly any structural approaches.
The ARTS for HEALTH AUSTRIA (AfHA) association for the promotion of art and culture was founded in the context of health and well-being with the aim of addressing and remedying these structural deficits.
AfHA sees itself as a platform for art activities in the field of public health in Austria, as an interface between artists, researchers and health institutions and as a national and international networking instrument and contact point for all those interested in this field.
The debate on the role of art and culture for individual health and social well-being is still in its infancy in Austria. However, a diverse and lively scene has now established itself at European level, which is also beginning to have an impact at structural and political level.
The initiatives of ARTS for HEALTH AUSTRIA are therefore based on the experience of international institutions with the same objectives and orientation
AfHA is
- Platform for artistic and cultural activities in the field of public health in Austria
- Interface between art and science
- Interface between the culture and health sectors
- National and international networking tool
- Information point for all those interested in this area
- Funding organization for innovative art projects in the healthcare sector
To fulfill these tasks, the AfHA has implemented the following projects and initiatives to date:
Aufatmen, the breathing and singing program for Long Covid sufferers
Projects with the PTS Maiselgasse School as a long-term collaboration
Dancing for seniors
Singing at the workplace
Our team of artists, our activities and our collaboration with health, educational and social institutions are constantly expanding. In doing so, we are able to set pioneering accents, especially through our partnership in EU projects. We are currently implementing seminars, training sessions and support programs for artists as part of the Culture and Health Platform and its sister project CARE - Culture for Mental Health.
In addition, as co-chair of the EU's Culture and Health OMC (Open Method of Coordination) group, Edith Wolf Perez played a key role in the report "Culture and Health: Time to Act" ("Culture and Health: Time to Act").
Despite a wide range of exemplary initiatives, there is still too little awareness in Austria, both in the cultural and health sectors, and hardly any structural approaches.
