On the Impact of Public Art: Engaging a Pedestrian-level Exhibition Improves Neighbourhood Connectedness and Well-being

Interest is emerging in how art can enhance well-being and positively impact mental health. One aspect concerning a more wide-ranging view of the potential well-being impacts of art is the idea that engaging art can make us feel more connected to our neighborhood or surroundings and give us a sense of community. Although this has long been a goal for artists and cultural activities, especially in urban areas, it has not been studied experimentally. To fill this gap, we assessed whether a free sidewalk-level exhibition on neighborhood appreciation 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 assessed their attitudes and well-being 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 the exhibition, participants (N = 64) felt significantly more connected to the neighborhood and had improved well-being. These changes were higher when participants felt the emotions intended by the artist. Additionally, feeling expansive emotional states and reporting higher cognitive appraisal in terms of meaningfulness and understanding of the art related to improved neighborhood connectedness. Our findings provide the first empirical evidence that art can serve as a community-connecting node and highlight the role of the artist’s intention, felt emotions, and cognitive appraisals in the impact of neighborhood galleries. This research could inform future exhibitions and interventions.