Art on Prescription (POL-SYN) is a pilot research programme of the Ministry of Culture, implemented by the University Research Institute of Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine “Kostas Stefanis”, with the aim of introducing a variety of arts activities with a therapeutic effect on mental health.

The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki participates in the programme with two arts-based actions with therapeutic impact: a visual arts applications workshop (painting, ceramics, weaving, drawing, printmaking, mosaic, etc.) and a dance workshop. The group meetings begin with a visit to the museum’s exhibition spaces. Participants have the opportunity to get to know selected objects—or a theme—from its collections, which will serve as a source of inspiration for the workshops that follow in AMTh’s new “Educational Programmes and Creative Workshops for All” hall.

The first workshops began in September. They are conducted by artists and mental-health professionals, and participation by the beneficiaries in the programme is six months in duration and free of charge. Each group consists of 12 beneficiaries, 2 mental-health professionals, and 2 artists, while in total the project will involve 48 beneficiaries.

The project “Pilot Actions of Art on Prescription” is included in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0” and is funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.