Increasing well-being experiences through cultural events : improving participation and communality as eventful well-being promotion aims
Lillvis, Karolina (2022)
Lillvis, Karolina
2022
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022112023241
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022112023241
Tiivistelmä
While communality and participation are foundational parts of the definition of an event, the significance of eventfulness is not often discussed with creativity, arts, and culture. In practice, most subsidies are directed to artists themselves, while the role of facilitators is not recognized. The focus of this study is the well-being effects of cultural events – their position in the prevailing literature and at municipal and national levels, as well as eventfulness as a component of arts and culture activities and health services. Based on the findings of this research, many studies measure the instrumental impact of arts but not the full extent of the participants’ experience. However, the findings also show that events are a part of the culture in every community and that eventful activity runs through every sector of society.
My research aims to identify the connections between participation in cultural events and their effect. The objective is to present better practices to produce and analyze data and show that eventfulness is critical in cultural well-being promotion. My research consists of a literature review and a related analysis of expert interview data. Attending events is proven to increase well-being through the experience of participation and community, as well as through a person’s sense of agency in subject that is meaningful to them. The Finnish Government’s publications on arts and culture activities call for action to advance individuals’ agency and community-building. Although various studies have successfully measured subjective well-being, the challenges of measuring effects can be seen in various cultural well-being strategies. It can be pointed out that the character of many arts and culture interventions is similar to the character of events. However, the analysis of expert interview data recognizes that events are not seen as instruments to increase experienced well-being.
Based on the findings, one solution to increase cultural well-being promotion could be to integrate eventful operations into the current plans of action as a procedure which would, as a result, create more space for all arts and cultural activities in general. Specifically, I suggest distinguishing existing events from the current strategies, offering past-time activities and well-being services, and starting program development as the first measure. Furthermore, these positive effects generated by the cultural events can trickle down to start changing the operating models of municipalities, non-profits, and entrepreneurs.
My research aims to identify the connections between participation in cultural events and their effect. The objective is to present better practices to produce and analyze data and show that eventfulness is critical in cultural well-being promotion. My research consists of a literature review and a related analysis of expert interview data. Attending events is proven to increase well-being through the experience of participation and community, as well as through a person’s sense of agency in subject that is meaningful to them. The Finnish Government’s publications on arts and culture activities call for action to advance individuals’ agency and community-building. Although various studies have successfully measured subjective well-being, the challenges of measuring effects can be seen in various cultural well-being strategies. It can be pointed out that the character of many arts and culture interventions is similar to the character of events. However, the analysis of expert interview data recognizes that events are not seen as instruments to increase experienced well-being.
Based on the findings, one solution to increase cultural well-being promotion could be to integrate eventful operations into the current plans of action as a procedure which would, as a result, create more space for all arts and cultural activities in general. Specifically, I suggest distinguishing existing events from the current strategies, offering past-time activities and well-being services, and starting program development as the first measure. Furthermore, these positive effects generated by the cultural events can trickle down to start changing the operating models of municipalities, non-profits, and entrepreneurs.