Critical Reflections and Future Perspectives on Research in Arts for the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents

The Interuniversity Organisation Arts & Knowledges (University of Salzburg/Mozarteum University Salzburg), in cooperation with Salzburg Global, the International Network for the Critical Appraisal of Arts & Health Research, and SIAM - Salzburg Institute for Arts in Medicine are pleased to organize this day conference to reflect on the latest developments in this field. 

Building on our previous conference on the Value of Arts for Health and Arts in Medicine in 2025, this event will address one of the most pressing global issues: the mental health of young people and the contribution of the arts. The aim is to raise awareness of this topic in Austria and internationally, and to learn from best practices and current developments globally. 

Mental health problems in children and adolescents represent a major global concern. Over the past decade, the number of controlled research studies on music- and art-based therapies and programs on the mental health of young people has increased to such extent that a considerable number of reviews, including systematic reviews, Cochrane reviews, and even meta-analyses, have been published that assess the quality of the evidence and summarize the established knowledge. Further relevant development is the growth of social/arts prescribing for children and young people.

However, there are also some concerns raised for the quality of existing evidence on the effects of creative arts programs and therapy for young people with mental health challenges. Therefore, we want to engage in a productive discussion about the current state of research into the use of the arts to promote mental health in young people, as well as future directions for research, policy and practice. The presenters and discussants invited to the symposium are leading experts and authors of landmark publications in the field. 

The event is expected to draw a wide audience of practitioners, artists, medical doctors, policy makers and researchers alike, interested in high-quality research and state-of-the-art discussions on the future of arts, science, and medicine.