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Wellbeing is about feeling good and functioning well (Deighton, 2016). In the UK, young people’s wellbeing has been declining for the past two decades, and the prevalence of mental health difficulties has been increasing (Pierce et al., 2025). Promoting access to and engagement with arts and creative activities in school can help to reverse these worrying trends. Such activities can be active (such as drawing, painting, writing, performing) or receptive (such as viewing, listening to, discussing, critiquing) (Hugh-Jones et al., 2025). They can help to fulfil young people’s basic (for instance sensation, stimulation) and growth (for instance mastery, relatedness) needs; support their ability to manage their emotions and cope with stress; and contribute to identity development, self-acceptance and social connectedness (Thornton et al., 2024).

In a recent systematic review, we found support for a causal link between regular arts engagement and improved adolescent mental health and wellbeing (Hugh-Jones et al., 2025). For example, a longitudinal analysis using our #BeeWell dataset demonstrated that young people who engaged with wide-ranging activities had improved wellbeing one year later compared to those with generally low engagement (Thornton et al., 2024). There is also evidence from intervention studies. We recently evaluated the year-long Factory International Schools Programme, in which year 8 and 9 pupils participate in weekly two-hour sessions led by professional artists focusing on a different art form (such as poetry or digital music creation) each half-term, culminating in a public showcase of their work. Our analysis showed that the intervention improved young people’s ability to cope with stress and their life satisfaction, and an accompanying economic evaluation indicated that it produced £7 worth of wellbeing benefits for every £1 spent (Rahanaz, 2025).

‘Young people who engaged with wide-ranging activities had improved wellbeing one year later compared to those with generally low engagement.’

Despite this promising evidence base, there remains work to be done to harness the power of arts and creative activities to improve young people’s wellbeing. The number of arts-specialist teachers and the time spent teaching arts-based subjects have declined in recent years. The proportion of young people electing to study them in secondary and further education has also reduced, and continued engagement after age 14 is less likely among those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds (Rahanaz, 2025; Thornton et al., 2024). In addition, the governmental focus in the post-Covid recovery period prioritised traditional academic learning, with less emphasis on making up for lost opportunities for arts and cultural engagement (Thornton et al., 2024). But this is not a zero-sum game. Indeed, engaging in the arts can yield up to three months of academic progress in English, Maths and Science (Child of the North, 2025).

Recent investments in arts and creative activities can help young people to flourish. For example, the £88 million Building Creative Futures initiative will provide after-school access to music, sports and the arts for young people, and the £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund will help them to learn creative skills and engage with their communities. But this is not enough. To truly harness the power of the arts to improve the lives of all children and young people, we need to rebalance the curriculum and improve the core offer in schools, giving music, drama, dance, et cetera parity of esteem with core curriculum subjects. This is not an easy task after years of funding cuts and narrowing of the curriculum. It’s time to get creative!

References

Child of the North. (2025). An evidence-based approach to creating a culture of inclusive opportunity through arts and creativity.

Deighton, J. (2016). Measuring and monitoring children and young people’s mental wellbeing: A toolkit for schools and colleges.

Hugh-Jones, S., Stephanie, R., Wilding, A., Sutton, M., Humphrey, N., & Munford, L. (2025). Does regular engagement with arts and creative activities improve adolescent mental health and wellbeing? A systematic review and assessment of causality. Social Science and Medicine: Population Health, 31, Article 101845.

Pierce, M., Bai, Y., Taxiarchi, V., Hugh-Jones, S., Abel, K. A., Patalay, P., & Demkowicz, O. (2025). Understanding drivers of recent trends in young people’s mental health. Youth Futures Foundation.

Rahanaz, M. (2025). Unlocking creativity: The economic impact of engagement with arts and culture among young people. Pro Bono Economics.

Thornton, E., Petersen, K., Marquez, J., & Humphrey, N. (2024). Do patterns of adolescent participation in arts, culture and entertainment activities predict later wellbeing? A latent class analysis. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 53, 1396–1414.