On the impact of public art: How engaging a pedestrian-level exhibition improves neighborhood connectedness and well-being

Abstract

How might publicly visible art enhance well-being and positively impact mental health? One aspect of art's potential lies in its capacity to foster a sense of connection to one's neighborhood or surroundings and to enhance feelings of community. Although this has long been a goal for artists and cultural initiatives, especially in urban areas, it has not been studied experimentally. To begin to fill this gap, we investigated how a free sidewalk-level exhibition about a neighborhood in Berlin, Germany altered visitors’ connection to and satisfaction with their neighborhood, as well as their overall well-being. Using a pre-registered pre-post design, we asked passers-by to engage with the exhibition, and their attitudes and well-being were assessed before and after the experience. We also considered participants’ cognitive-affective experiences and their agreement with the intended emotions of the artist and curator as factors predicting changes. Results showed that after engaging with the exhibition, participants (N = 64) felt significantly more connected to the neighborhood and reported improved well-being. These changes were higher when participants felt the emotions intended by the artist. Additionally, feeling expansive emotions and reporting higher cognitive appraisal in terms of meaningfulness and understanding of the art related to improved neighborhood connectedness. Our findings provide preliminary evidence suggesting that publicly accessible art may function as a community-connecting node. It highlights the role of the artist's intention, felt emotions, and cognitive appraisals shaping in the impact of neighborhood galleries. These insights research could inform future public art exhibitions and urban well-being interventionsfuture exhibitions and interventions.