Arts on Prescription (AoP) is a model of social prescribing (similar to e. g. Books, Education, Exercise on Prescription) that enables health professionals or other referral channels to refer people to a range of weekly creative and participatory activities to promote their mental health and social inclusion. These activities can include painting portraits, writing song texts, sculpturing with pottery clay etc.
Arts on Prescription (AoP) is for persons with mild to moderate mental health issues or those at risk of developing them. AoP programmes offer individuals a break from their daily worries through particpating in cultural and artistic activities which allow for self-expression, self-discovery in the company of others in similar situations.
AoP is a non-therapy programme and can serve as an alternative for individuals who may seek an alternative approach to promote their mental health, or as a more comprehensive approach for example as a supplement to conventional mental health treatment i.e. medicine and/or therapy.
Arts on Prescription programmes can also reduce the burden on healthcare services, as AoP are inclusive programmes, that promote community mental wellbeing and social inclusion. Please view the video that gives a brief introduction to AoP.