Prescrição cultural

Abstract

Art and culture play a fundamental role in several aspects of human life, including health, as evidenced by the World Health Organization's report (Fancourt & Saoirse, 2019). Cultural prescription, which advocates that health professionals can prescribe cultural and artistic experiences to promote well-being, has been adopted and studied in international contexts, due to the growing recognition of its positive impact on different spheres of human life (Jensen et al, 2024). Given the absence of this dimension in the curricular units (UC) of University of Porto courses, the creation of this UC addresses this need, focusing on the development of transversal skills in the area. The multidisciplinary nature of the syllabus, the contact with teachers from different areas in different venues and the translation of theory into lived experiences provide an enriching training opportunity for students, redefining and expanding the learning spaces into the cultural sphere, and fostering a networked collaboration between the university, cultural institutions, and civil society, with significant formative and relational potential. Thus, this experience provides, on the one hand, the interdisciplinary appropriation of scientific knowledge on the relationship between art and health and the relevance of cultural prescription for the individual and for society and, on the other, personal and attitudinal development, nourished by content and methods based on humanistic, relational and collaborative perspectives, experienced in workshops and in the development of cultural prescription projects. The transdisciplinary nature of the course has also fostered scientific, disciplinary and pedagogical synergies between lecturers, through the joint preparation and orientation of sessions, in an innovative partnership between higher education lecturers, scientists and artists.