The Pedagogic Prescription: art and design teaching practice and object-based wellbeing’

This chapter explores ways of mobilising museum collections in support of wellbeing and addresses for the first time, how the signature pedagogies of art and design can impact wellbeing. In such terms, the chapter characterizes the distinctive elements of art and design teaching practice and questions their potential health benefits. More specifically, it examines whether art and design teaching practice can have a positive impact on self-esteem, self-sufficiency, motivation and resilience. The chapter argues that they do and suggests that art and design pedagogies are more effective methodologies for delivering socially prescribed or wellbeing activities than others currently practised. Social prescribing is ‘a mechanism for linking patients with non-medical sources of support within the community’