‘No one forced anybody to do anything – and yet everybody painted’: Experiences of Arts on Referral, a focus group study

Arts on Referral (AoR) is a complementary intervention used to support people who are on sick leave due to common mental disorders (CMD) and/or musculoskeletal pain, challenging public health. Aim: To deepen the understanding of how AoR works from a health-promoting perspective and how people with CMD and/or musculoskeletal pain experience AoR. Design: The study adopted a qualitative approach. Thirty women (21–65 years old) participated in a total of five focus groups after the AoR intervention, which consisted of two sessions a week for ten weeks. Findings: A qualitative content analysis of the focus group identified four categories: 1. Place of belonging including descriptions of social connectedness and understanding; 2. Experiences of AoR as a respite from demands; 3. Arts activities offering challenge and reward; and 4. Contributing to health-promoting changes. The findings were discussed in the light of Wenger’s concept of community of practice and Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of flow. Value: This study describes how AoR contributed to health-promoting changes by offering a place of belonging, free from demands but still with opportunities to challenge oneself and explore new skills. Findings suggest that AoR can be helpful in improving mental wellbeing and feelings of belonging