A small but growing number of museums are integrating themselves into local systems of care, deploying their resources to support the health and wellbeing of their communities. In the US, this role is more important than ever as government systems of support are defunded and dismantled. What futures might be created by the growing need for services and the emergence of successful templates for partnerships between the health and cultural sectors?

Futurist Elizabeth Merritt will explore the trends reshaping health and wellbeing in the US and explore futures in which the museum sector plays a critical role in a new infrastructure of care.

Explore the presentation abstracts submitted by our speakers.

A museum with a holistic social value approach
Mia Lejsted Bonde (Denmark), Ovartaci Museum

At Museum Ovartaci, the experience of art is united with insight into the human mind: We encourage interactive dialogue on today's relevant topics and society at large. The art, the historical perspective and the outlet in the individual history form the conceptual DNA for the museum. The museum is for people who are curious to know more about the human mind and the connection to and with art. It offers a special art experience, as art created of people with mental health challenges is the prevalent element in all our basic themes.

Inspired by Ovartaci, the central artist of our art collection, the museum runs two creative workshops: the Creative Workshops for adults and the Creative Ateliers for Children and Youngsters. These workshops are a unique space within the museum, offering creativity and social interaction for vulnerable people, citizens and psychiatric patients: a community-building space where you can exercise creative activities without questions about your mental disorders. Because our holistic social value approach is: we want to be a museum for everyone! 

Dance and brain health in museums
Roberto Casarotto (Italy), Aerowaves

The session will focus on the development of dance practices for people living with Parkinson's, teenagers with psychological fragility and depression, cancer-survivors and mixed groups of citizens in museums and in dialogue with art works. Approaches and practices will be described and shared, along with the experience of working cross-disciplinary (dance-science-heritage and visual art), intergenerationally and across cultures in several programmes of dance in museums across Italy, Europe, Japan and Hong Kong.

Who cares? We do: The National Gallery of Ireland’s journey towards collective care
Sinéad Rice (Ireland), National Gallery of Ireland

This impulse session traces the National Gallery of Ireland’s evolving civic role through co-created, collaborative programmes developed in direct response to contemporary societal needs.

Moving beyond traditional outreach models, the Gallery has cultivated a practice grounded in dialogue, trust-building, and sustained partnership with marginalised and vulnerable communities historically excluded from cultural participation. Rather than implementing pre-designed solutions, these initiatives have emerged through shared authorship and mutual learning, influencing not only the shape of individual projects, but also institutional culture more broadly.

This approach reflects a gradual yet significant shift: from understanding care as a programme offering to embedding it as a structural and ethical value within the organisation.

This short, focused presentation will highlight a selection of key initiatives along this trajectory, culminating in No Words, the Gallery’s flagship programme in Cultural Art Psychotherapy developed through years of collaborative practice. No Words exemplifies how a national cultural institution can meaningfully engage with collective wellbeing as a core civic responsibility offering a compelling model for museums to reimagine care as a collaborative, transformative practice, with the potential to drive positive systemic change.

How can we build organisational structures that foster intersectional wellbeing and enable genuine, solidarity-based resilience - rather than relying on isolated measures or the limited feedback that reaches leadership? The ability to communicate needs is often tied to privilege and specific skills, meaning that many voices remain unheard. This workshop understands resilience as a social competence rooted in strong, supportive systems - systems that recognise that not everything must, or should, be endured.  

Together, we will reflect on the structural conditions that support wellbeing in museum organisations, share practical strategies, and explore how care and collective resilience can be embedded into the institutional fabric. 

Even with all our tech tools, time keeps speeding up—we fill every moment with more tasks instead of enjoying the time we’ve freed up. We may work fewer hours, but burnout and work addiction are more common than ever, and caring for others often comes before caring for ourselves. In this workshop, we’ll explore the signs of burnout and work addiction, reflect on our self-care habits, and create a practical plan to take better care of ourselves. Every little choice helps you feel more joy in life and can go a long way in preventing burnout and exhaustion.

Collaboration between the cultural and health sectors is accelerating across Europe, with numerous cross-disciplinary projects and policy developments taking shape. Yet, concerns persist within the cultural sector about the instrumentalisation of culture solely for health benefits. To promote a more balanced and equitable approach, this workshop will create space for joint discussion and the development of indicators that reflect the values and contributions of both sectors equally.

This workshop invites museum professionals to explore how cultural initiatives can generate meaningful social impact. Starting with a brief introduction to the Theory of Change and impact-oriented planning, we will focus on practical tools for evaluating the social outcomes of cultural and museum-based welfare projects. Participants will engage in a hands-on group session, selecting real projects to map out their value chain and co-define relevant impact indicators. By the end of the workshop, participants will gain a clearer understanding of how to design and assess actions that strengthen their institution’s role as a driver of social well-being. 

This workshop introduces a creative writing practice inspired by literary therapy, designed to explore wellbeing through personal storytelling in museum settings. Participants begin with a Short Biography, a reflective exercise that challenges them to condense their life story onto a small piece of paper. The activity fosters introspection, emotional connection, and play. This interactive session promotes dialogue, creativity, and self-expression. Additional exercises - including reverse journaling and automatic writing - deepen the experience, encouraging museums to embrace writing as a meaningful tool for supporting mental wellbeing and inclusive visitor engagement.

How can museums truly serve and support the next generation? This panel brings together voices from Belgium, Austria, and Estonia to explore youth wellbeing, representation, and agency within cultural spaces. From confronting outdated institutional cultures to designing inclusive education and digital platforms, our speakers offer bold, personal insights into how museums can rethink themselves from the inside out. Join us for a conversation that challenges the status quo and reimagines what it means to create spaces where young people feel seen, safe, and empowered to shape the future of culture. 

Learn about the topics and experiences that our three speakers will share in the talk.

1. Lea Pavlov (Estonia), Estonian Health Museum
   At the Estonian Health Museum, care begins with understanding. Lea Pavlov presents the museum’s inclusive, science-based programmes on puberty, sexual health, and relationships - designed to support teenagers in navigating complex emotional and physical changes. These often-taboo topics are approached with respect, openness, and age-appropriate formats that encourage dialogue and build trust. Lea will share how interactive education fosters autonomy, reduces anxiety, and strengthens resilience among youth. This talk demonstrates how museums can play a vital role in promoting wellbeing and safe connections, making health education both accessible and empowering.
2. Hanna Kushnirenko (Italy/Ukraine) Dance artist/instructor
   Hanna Kushnirenko brings a unique perspective as a dance artist and educator working at the intersection of movement, wellbeing, and youth engagement in museums. Drawing from her work with Dance Well and Future Moves, Hanna explores how embodied practices can foster emotional clarity, connection, and inclusion among young audiences. Her contribution highlights the power of movement to break down barriers, support mental health, and create spaces where all bodies feel welcome. Hanna invites us to rethink cultural institutions not just as places of observation, but as active, participatory environments that nurture agency and joy from the inside out.
3. Arno Major (Belgium), S.M.A.K.
   What happens when a museum built to challenge norms becomes stuck in its own? At S.M.A.K., an investigation into toxic leadership has sparked a deep restructuring process, revealing tensions between tradition and transformation. As the youngest team member in a staff of 40, Arno Major offers a candid, behind-the-scenes look at generational divides, institutional fatigue, and the struggle to redefine what 'contemporary' really means. Through a conceptual installation of everyday museum objects, like the 25-year-old coffee mugs still in use, Arno invites us to reflect on the invisible culture shaping our institutions and the urgent need for renewal.
4. Vera L. B. Grablechner (Austria), myCulture
   How can museums become places where young people feel seen, heard, and inspired? In this interactive talk, Vera Grablechner shares insights from myCulture, a digital platform connecting young art lovers with cultural institutions. Drawing on user feedback and real-world engagement, she explores what drives youth participation today - personalisation, purpose, and emotional resonance. Vera will highlight how museums can meet the social and psychological needs of younger audiences by creating spaces that are inclusive, responsive, and empowering. This session is a call to action for museums to become not just places of learning, but places of belonging.

Explore the presentation abstracts submitted by our speakers.

Turning toward: How museums, art, and trauma-sensitive mindfulness foster resilience and growth 
Jolien Posthumus (The Netherlands), Museum Consultant Art & Mental Health and Trauma-sensitive Mindfulness Therapist

How can museums engage their collections in ways that meaningfully support people with lived experience of trauma – both personal and collective? In this short talk, we’ll explore what trauma is, how healing can unfold, and why art and trauma-sensitive mindfulness are powerful allies in fostering resilience and growth. Drawing on insights from neuroscience and real-world practice, Jolien will show how artworks can serve as anchors for presence, co-regulation, connection, and moments of awe – and will explore ways museums can invite visitors to be as present and engaged as feels possible across many forms of trauma.

From memory to recovery: The role of the war museum in supporting war-affected communities
Yurii Horpynych and Maryna Bohush (Ukraine), National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War

The National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War has undergone a profound institutional transformation during Russia’s full-scale invasion. Confronting the consequences of war in real time has become a strategic priority. In 2024, the Museum initiated a cultural rehabilitation program for veterans, Defence Forces personnel, and their families, with art therapy as its principal methodology. This approach integrates creative expression into psychosocial recovery, fostering resilience and social reintegration. The strategy, despite operational challenges, resulted in the establishment of a Cultural Rehabilitation and Accessibility Unit. Exhibitions’ tours remain a core instrument for targeted engagement; their themes are carefully aligned with the evolving psychological and cultural needs of war-affected audiences.  

Are you navigating practical challenges in your museum work, especially around mental health and wellbeing? This informal, peer-driven session invites museum staff to bring their own questions and dilemmas to the table. In small rotating groups, participants will exchange insights, experiences, and support on the micro-level of daily practice. It’s not about polished results - it’s about sharing what’s in progress, what’s tricky, and what’s real. Join us to connect, reflect, and learn from each other.

Participation is limited – secure your spot by signing up on site on Monday by the registration desk (from 09:00).

Let's start the day with movement and connection! This participatory session offers an embodied introduction to Dance Well, an inclusive artistic practice originally developed with and for people living with Parkinson’s. Through guided improvisation and shared movement, participants are invited to explore dance as a space for agency, connection, and collective expression.

Participation is limited – secure your spot by signing up on site on Monday by the registration desk (from 09:00).

Explore the presentation abstracts submitted by our speakers.

From evidence to infrastructure: Why culture and health collaborations work
Helen Chatterjee (United Kingdom), University College London (digital contribution)  

Helen Chatterjee reveals why partnerships between museums and healthcare matter - backed by research in social prescribing and community health. Learn how cultural initiatives boost wellbeing, reduce inequalities, and can be embedded into health systems through robust evaluation and impact measurement.

Culture and health: Supports and pitfalls for museums 
Inga Surgunte (Latvia), Latvian Academy of Culture

In recent decades, museums have shown growing commitment and expertise in collaborating with the health sector, realising their potential to enhance health and wellbeing through numerous innovative initiatives. Drawing on her experience as head of the Museums on Prescription programme (in Cēsis municipality, Latvia) and as Latvia’s representative in the European Commission OMC group on Culture and Health, Inga Surgunte will examine where these initiatives fit within a broader taxonomy of Culture and Health interventions, what ecosystems and policies can support their sustainability, and the risks this still underexplored cross-sector collaboration may present for museums. 

From projects to policy: Connecting culture and healthcare
Pia Wiborg Astrup (Denmark), Region Mitjylland

Effective collaboration between culture and healthcare requires action at regional, national, and international levels to drive a positive agenda. Facing challenges as e.g. demographic shifts, shortages of health care professionals, and rising chronic and mental health challenges, we must recognize health and culture as vital parts of the solution. Creating the right framework conditions is essential to deliver high-quality initiatives that truly benefit patients and citizens. Beyond short-term projects, sustainable business models are key to embedding cultural health interventions into healthcare systems and everyday life, ultimately improving well-being and quality of life for all.

This workshop is an experiential introduction to the methods used in the National Gallery of Ireland’s groundbreaking Cultural Art Therapy programme, “No Words”.  

“No Words” offers underserved and vulnerable audiences the opportunity to engage in creative therapy in a cultural space, using museum collections as catalyst. Workshop attendees will get the chance to both to learn about, and engage with the process of Cultural Art Therapy, in a format designed to gently promote wellbeing. By introducing the therapeutic framework through which a cultural space may be meaningfully and safely interacted with, the workshop will offer an adaptable model for diverse participants. 

This workshop will be introduced by Brina Casey, Education Manager: Special Projects, and Sinéad Rice, Head of Education & Public Programming at the Gallery, the session will be led by Andrea Plunkett, the Gallery’s first resident Cultural Art Therapist.  

This workshop is organised by the NEMO Working Group LEM - the Learning Museum

In this interactive workshop, you'll explore how artificial intelligence (AI) and digital avatars can help museums offer emotional support and create more empathetic experiences for visitors. Using the Kollwitz-Avatar Project as a case study, we’ll dive into the development of AI-driven personas designed to enhance visitor well-being, especially in sensitive areas like grief, trauma, and emotional connection with art.

You’ll gain practical insights into how AI can simulate empathy, and you'll have the chance to design your own digital personas tailored to your museum's audience. The session includes group activities like empathy mapping, persona design, and drafting dialogues to understand how to create emotionally resonant interactions.

The workshop will also touch on important ethical considerations, including the challenges of bias, emotional nuance, and the responsibility museums have when using AI for emotional support. By the end, you'll walk away with strategies and a deeper understanding of how digital avatars can enrich visitor experiences.

You don’t have to work in a digital department to benefit from this workshop since it is ideal for museum professionals, educators, digital designers and anyone interested in exploring the intersection of technology and visitor care in cultural institutions

This workshop is organised by the NEMO Working Group Digital Transformation.

Climate crisis is increasingly recognised as a threat to mental health and psychological wellbeing, and over the last years eco-anxiety has gained considerable attention. Through practical sessions and open dialogue, this workshop will tackle issues concerning:  

• Understanding eco-anxiety and its impact on individuals and audiences 
• Explore how museums can support emotional resilience while addressing climate issues
• Develop strategies for curating exhibitions and programs that inspire action and hope

The workshop is organised by the NEMO Working Group SAC! Sustainability and Climate Action, as well as facilitated by members of the working group.

Museums make significant contributions to society’s wealth. Yet resources and funding are under pressure. How can we demonstrate the value of museums more effectively? A new approach is reframing our understanding of the value of museums by measuring their contribution to society’s wellbeing.  

In this workshop: 

• Be inspired by the potential of wellbeing to reframe the value of culture 
• Hear how wellbeing is considered in the context of asset management, public policy, OECD, Wellbeing Economy, SDGs and more 
• Understand the components of the wellbeing value that your museum is already contributing to and discuss examples 
• Find out how this can be measured and how organisations use this to articulate their impact 
• Create a Wellbeing Aspiration for your organisation to take away 

Mindfulness in Museums (MiM) offers art experiences in museums that promote mental health and broaden one's view of the world. For the MiM-programs, Jolien ‘translates’ the framework of the evidence-based healthcare intervention into an art intervention, integrating the mindfulness techniques, structure, ancient wisdom and scientific knowledge. In this workshop Jolien will delve into the working methodology of the MiM programmes. We explore how MiM can be adapted for different target audiences such as young adult and health care professionals and examine how your museum can adopt mindfulness-based approaches. Finally, we create space to discuss how your collection and gallery space can promote mental health in this way.

Increasingly, museums are being recognised as spaces that can support healing, inclusion, and emotional wellbeing. This evolving role brings both new opportunities and responsibilities. In a slam session, we bring together voices from across Europe to present projects at the intersection of mental health, museum education, ethics, and public engagement. From playful methods for children to creative responses to ageing, inclusion, and public space, each short presentation offers practical insights and thoughtful reflections. 

In a short and dynamic format, contributors will share tools, experiences, and questions - followed by time for open discussion. Expect a lively and engaging exchange on how museums can help foster emotional and social wellbeing today.

1. Towards a caring museum: Innovative tools and sustainable approaches for vulnerable groups
   Isabelle Vanhoonacker (Belgium), Museum of Fine Arts
2. V&A as dementia-friendly museum
   Holly Power (the United Kingdom), V&A
3. Working together for wellbeing
   Rachel Tranter (the United Kingdom), GEM - Group for Education in Museums
4. Play, feel, heal: A mental health toolkit for museum educators
   Johanna Rassi, Tuuli Uusikukka & Anna Väänänen (Finland), Museo Leikki and Kadri Toomsalu (Estonia), Tartu Toy Museum
5. Sustainable social and societal development: The caring museum
   Annick Born (Belgium), ICOM Wallonia-Brussels
6. Contributing to public health and wellbeing through art and culture: The case of the Gallery of Matica Srpska
   Goran Vujkov (Serbia), The Gallery of Matica Srpska

Learning through play is at the heart of the LEGO Group and a core part of its DNA. Employees at the LEGO Group have a mandate to be playful and a having a playful culture has some key benefits for employees. There are a range of initiatives that supports integration of Learning through Play at the LEGO Group. But what does play, and play at work, look like? And how does play help us thrive at work? Listen to Lisette and Mads from the LEGO Groups and hear how playfulness can impact employee wellbeing. 

This 30 minutes practical activity will lead into the panel on collaborations across sectors.

This panel explores how museums can support staff wellbeing and build long-term sustainability in times of social, emotional and economic pressure. Panellists will share practical strategies for strengthening resilience at both individual and organisational levels, from psychological support to leadership cultures that prioritise care.

Explore the presentation abstracts submitted by our speakers.

Building resilient teams through wellbeing
Lisette de Jonge (Denmark), LEGO Group

As the Senior Global Wellbeing Manager at the LEGO Group, Lisette de Jonge will share insights from fostering workplace wellbeing. In an era of mounting pressures, discover how the LEGO Group’s approach to long-term, data-driven strategies can inspire museums to build resilient structures that support their teams. Learn about practical methods to enhance job satisfaction and create leadership cultures prioritising care.

From concept to capacity: Making organisational resilience tangible 
Josefa Kny (Germany), betterplace-lab (digital contribution)

Resilience is a skill that is becoming increasingly important for organisations in times of multiple crises. However, its definition often remains abstract. Through several practice-oriented studies at betterplace lab, we have succeeded in making resilience in non-profit organisations and networks tangible and identifying ways to strengthen it. How can organisations and networks develop a good way of dealing with crises? What contributes to becoming a resilient organisation? Based on our understanding of resilience, we will present concrete results from our studies and discuss resulting recommendations for action for non-profit organisations. 

Caring museums: Supporting staff to deliver health and wellbeing 
Nuala Morse (the United Kingdom), University of Leicester

As museum professionals increasingly take on roles in delivering health and wellbeing programmes, what are the implications for staff? What risks does this work pose, and how can they be effectively mitigated to ensure staff safety and wellbeing? Drawing on UK-based research and sector initiatives, this talk explores key priority areas for building a resilient, well-supported workforce capable of unlocking museums’ transformative potential for public health. 

Wellbeing as culture: Inclusion and care at Casa Batlló
Ana Acosta (Spain), Casa Batlló

At Casa Batlló, staff wellbeing is central to how we work and decide together. Guided by non-violent communication and a horizontal, teal structure, we cultivate respectful relationships and shared responsibility. Our neurodiversity project, integrating over 100 neurodivergent colleagues, has reshaped protocols, practices, and visitor interactions while deepening inclusion. This approach shows how embedding care and resilience in daily operations strengthens both people and organisation.