The Living Museum Movement: Art, caring community and mental health

Authors: Isabelle Wachsmuth, Juliane Pfeiffer and Rose Ehemann

This article explores the Living Museum movement as a transformative model for mental health care and social inclusion. Based on interviews with seven directors of Living Museums in Austria, Spain, Georgia, USA, Germany, France, and Switzerland. Their testimonies highlight how these art-based spaces foster emotional safety, identity transformation, and community engagement. Living Museums offer low-cost, high-impact interventions that complement traditional psychiatric care by promoting self-expression, reducing stigma, and building caring communities. This article analyzes with the Integrated Change Framework (ICF) leadership and governance, capacity strengthening, and system-wide collaboration and communication (including process of co-creation and relational dynamics) that underpin the success of these initiatives. Findings suggest that Living Museums are scalable, culturally adaptable, and effective in addressing social isolation and mental health challenges. The study calls for greater recognition of arts-based approaches in public health policy and mental health systems.Living Museum movement offers a unique community-based art spaces where individuals with mental health conditions are recognized as artists, not patients. The interviews explored the origins, operations, challenges, impact, and philosophical foundations of each museum.

1. Leadership and governance to foster transformation and empowerment

Living Museums are led by individuals who embody relational and transformative leadership. Directors often undergo personal evolution through their engagement with participants, shifting from clinical authority to empathetic facilitators of co-creation.

• Leadership is grounded in humility, curiosity, and openness to learning.
• Directors foster horizontal governance, where participants co-design rules and activities.
• A global Community of Practice among museum leaders enables mutual mentoring and innovation.

“Be a servant and mentor for all around you and let them be your mentors.” – Dr. Janos MartonGovernance structures prioritize human relationships over therapeutic hierarchies. Directors and participants build trust through shared creative processes, dismantling institutional barriers and promoting dignity.

• Living Museums offer alternatives to wardship and institutional dependency.

Partners and funders are invited to immerse themselves in the museum experience, fostering shared transformation.Living Museums foster a profound shift in self-perception among participants, moving from being labeled as “patients” to being recognized as “artists.” This redefinition of identity is central to the healing process and contributes to increased self-esteem, autonomy, and emotional resilience.

• Participants report feeling “seen” and “valued” for their creativity rather than their diagnosis.
• The act of creating and exhibiting art instills a sense of purpose and pride.
• Directors emphasize that this identity shift is not symbolic but deeply therapeutic, often leading to behavioral and emotional improvements.

“Since I've been here, I finally exist as an artist.” – Participant, Living Museum Nantes

2. Capacity strengthening to foster emotional safety and relational healing

Living Museums cultivate core human capacities—empathy, kindness, and creative expression—as tools for healing and empowerment.

• Participants are encouraged to explore their own self through art, music, theater, and nature.
• Mentorship is embedded in artistic practice, with reflection facilitated through painting and dialogue.

“You are more important than you believe.” – Inscription on the wall of Living Museum WilIn contexts where museums operate independently from institutions, directors must develop social entrepreneurship skills:

• Fundraising strategies, community development, and communication tools are essential.
• Some museums organize meditation and supervision sessions to support staff and participants.

Participants gain agency by becoming creators and innovators:

• Art becomes a medium for self-realization, resilience, and social interaction.
• The creative process fosters emotional regulation, confidence, and a sense of purpose.

Living Museums provide emotionally safe environments where individuals can express themselves freely, without fear of judgment or institutional constraints.

• Spaces are designed to be non-clinical, welcoming, and inclusive.
• Participants describe the museums as “oases of humanity” and “second homes.”
• The absence of hierarchy and the presence of peer support foster trust and openness.

“At the Living Museum, I can put my rebellion on canvas or turn my tears into a dancing couple.” – Participant, Living Museum Wil

3. Capacity strengthening to implement community engagement and social inclusion

Living Museums actively promote social cohesion by integrating participants into broader cultural and civic life.

• Museums are often located in urban centers, increasing visibility and accessibility.
• Weekly rituals such as shared cafés and open studios encourage interaction between artists and the public.
• Families and communities report improved understanding and reduced stigma.

“It’s society that should come to the Living Museum and change their mind.” – Director, Living Museum Madrid

4. System-wide communication and collaboration to reach operational sustainability and cost-effectiveness

Living Museums operate with minimal financial resources, relying on volunteerism, donations, and recycled materials.

• Most museums function with one or two staff members and a network of volunteers.
• The model reduces reliance on clinical infrastructure and offers scalable alternatives to traditional care.
• Directors highlight the potential for significant cost savings in public health systems.

“We are a low-budget undertaking… and it works.” – Director, Living Museum AustriaLeadership within Living Museums is characterized by adaptability, humility, and a commitment to co-creation.

• Directors often undergo personal transformation through their engagement with participants.
• Governance is horizontal, with artists involved in decision-making and rule-setting.
• A global community of practice among directors facilitates shared learning and innovation.

“Be a servant and mentor for all around you and let them be your mentors.” – Dr. Janos Marton, Founder, Living Museum New YorkLiving Museums demonstrate the power of relational networks in fostering inclusion and systemic change:

• They are adaptable to diverse cultural, geographic, and demographic contexts—from urban centers to rural communities.
• Museums serve all age groups, including children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly.

Art functions as a universal language that transcends barriers of stigma, literacy, and culture:

• Artistic expression facilitates dialogue, empathy, and shared understanding.
• Museums become platforms for civic engagement, cultural participation, and public health education.

Living Museums engage with health professionals, cultural institutions, and policymakers:

• Intersectoral collaboration is built on trust, shared purpose, and mutual learning.
• Partners are not passive funders but active co-creators in the museum’s evolution.

The ICF analysis reveals that Living Museums are not only therapeutic spaces but ecosystems of relational transformation. Their success lies in:

• Low-cost, high-impact models that reduce reliance on clinical infrastructure.
• Cross-cultural adaptability, allowing replication across continents. The Living Museum model has proven effective across diverse cultural contexts, including Austria, Spain, Georgia, Germany, France, Switzerland, and the United States. Despite differences in funding structures and institutional support, the core principles—freedom, creativity, and community—remain universally applicable.
• Sustainable governance, rooted in community ownership and shared leadership.

Living Museums exemplify relational health communication, where art becomes a medium for dialogue, healing, and transformation. They challenge conventional therapeutic paradigms by centering human connection and creativity. The ICF analysis reveals that these initiatives strengthen capacities, foster systemic collaboration, and offer scalable models for mental health promotion.Living Museums represent a promising social innovation at the intersection of art, health, and community development. Their success across diverse cultural contexts underscores their adaptability and relevance. Policymakers and health institutions should consider integrating such models into mental health strategies to enhance well-being, reduce costs, and promote inclusive care.

This first article will follow by testimonies of each head of Living Museums have been interviewed.