Art therapy

The value of art: empathy, wellbeing and inclusion

This is the finding of the study by Roma 3 University entitled ‘Art, Empathy and Well-being’, carried out as part of the ‘Accessible Culture’ project

by Davide Madeddu

24 October 2026

Aggiungi Il Sole 24 Ore
ai preferiti su Google

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Art therapy creates value. And its impact extends beyond those who experience it. This is because art, relationships and empathy ‘can help to generate value’ even within the network of people who come into contact with these experiences. This is supported by a study from Roma 3 University on ‘art, empathy and wellbeing’, carried out as part of the ‘Accessible Culture, Possible Wellbeing’ project, in collaboration with the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art.

The initiative

The initiative, which involved 1,932 participants, is based on the testimonies gathered during the workshops held at the Gallery as part of the collaboration with ASL Roma 2.

The researchers investigated ‘whether the relationship between psychological fragility and familiarity with art therapy practices was associated with more inclusive attitudes, greater empathy and well-being’.

Psychological fragility

The study reveals that almost one in two people (49.7 per cent) have friends or family members who are experiencing psychological distress. ‘Those with this direct experience show greater openness to forming relationships,’ the study states, ‘on a scale of 1 to 7, the average level of inclusiveness is 5.25, compared with 4.81 for those without direct experience.’ Not only that: “Avoidance is also significantly lower: 1.85 compared with 2.26,” it continues. “In other words, having first-hand knowledge of vulnerability is associated with a greater willingness to engage and less social distance.” Although awareness of art therapy programmes remains very low, at 2.22 out of 7, the analyses point to empathy as ‘one of the mechanisms through which familiarity with art therapy is linked to well-being’.

“The data confirm what we had observed in the testimonies gathered during the project,” note Carmela Donato and Michela Addis, lecturers in the Department of Economics at Roma Tre University, “ the value generated by art is not confined to the individual experience, but extends to those who accompany, observe or even come into indirect contact with these initiatives. This is an important perspective, because it encourages us to consider the value of art not only for the individual, but also for relationships and communities.”

Dialogue between universities and the local community

This is also the context for the project known as the ‘open university’, which engages with the surrounding community. “Culture becomes a public good when it is accessible, fosters relationships and helps people feel part of a community,” says Massimiliano Fiorucci, Vice-Chancellor of Roma Tre University. “Projects such as ‘Accessible Culture, Wellbeing Made Possible’ demonstrate how art and cultural venues can become practical tools for inclusion, participation and wellbeing.”

Art and therapy

There is also another aspect concerning therapies, because, as Massimo Cozza, director of the Mental Health Department at ASL Roma 2, points out, ‘art is not a complement to treatment, but an integral part of the therapeutic process’. ‘For years we have been using it both in community-based programmes and as a tool for combating stigma,’ he explains, ‘from the mosaic created for Ro.Mens at Torre Maura station to the one that welcomes visitors to the Department of Social Policies of Roma Capitale; from the mural dedicated to Basaglia in the facility that bears his name to the Music@mens and Fotograf@mens competitions, right up to the mosaic donated to Pope Francis’.

A portrait of the president

And that’s not all: ‘At the Gnamc, young people supported by the Department of Mental Health worked with the artist Lady Be to create a portrait of President Mattarella by assembling waste materials and pollutants,’ he concludes. These are not merely ancillary or vaguely ‘holistic’ activities, but interventions with a specific clinical purpose: creating together means rebuilding relationships, skills and identity. And, as this research confirms, the value that emerges from a workshop does not remain there: it reaches families, care workers and the city.”