For the first time in Italy a network between museums and hospitals to treat with art. It happens in Naples

Until now, it was the stuff of North America or Scandinavian countries: visits to museums as a therapy to alleviate mental illness within the framework of collaborations between museums and hospitals had been introduced in Canada (the first country to experiment with it, with a project in Montreal), Denmark and the United Kingdom(we mentioned it just a few weeks ago), while there was no trace of similar initiatives in Italy. But now even in our country there are those who, starting this year, will use art as a method of treatment by activating a network between museums and hospitals. It happens in Naples, where the Cur’Arti project has been launched: it was conceived by Francesca Barrella, an internist physician in charge of Angiology at the Medicor Cardioangiologic Center in Pozzuoli, and president of the association Il Ventre di Parthenope.

The idea is to launch an art therapy treatment in Campania by activating collaborations between museums and hospitals as part of a network involving the whole region: art therapy is the treatment of mental disorders, eating disorders, depressive anxiety syndromes, and neurological pathologies through art, in this case by visiting exhibitions and museums. Not only that: art therapy will also be included in rehabilitation cycles of post-traumatic oncological or neurodegenerative syndromes.

The initiative involves various entities and, as mentioned, intends to create a network between museums and hospitals throughout Campania: in fact, the City of Naples, the Polo Museale della Campania (which will make Palazzo Reale available), the Archaeological Museum of ancient Capua, the Amphitheater of Santa Maria Capua Vetere, and the Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli have already joined. The initiative will also count on the collaboration of Sergio Ferraro, chief of cardiology at the Cto of Naples, Nicola Caracciolo, governor of Pio Monte della Misericordia, and Silvana Figlioli, rehabilitation psychocriminologist.

"The Cur’Arti Project," Dr. Barrella explained to the daily newspaper Il Mattino, “aims to create a network between health institutions and places of culture (museums, theaters, libraries, opera-symphony foundations, and others) available to welcome patients with chronic diseases in order to initiate their suffering. Cur’Arti is promoted as part of the Seed of Light Youth Rehabilitation and Prevention Project also conceived by me.”

Naples, however, is not new to experimenting on the theme of art and illness: for several years, in fact, the Clinical Psychology Department of the Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli has been carrying out the project La bellezza che cura, through which guided tours for cancer patients are organized at the National Archaeological Museum, an initiative conceived by Alberto Vito (head of the Clinical Psychology Unit) and which has been a great success. And in the future there will be more and more room for art as therapy.

Pictured: the Scalone d’Onore of the Royal Palace in Naples. Ph. Credit

For the first time in Italy a network between museums and hospitals to treat with art. It happens in Naples

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