When we think about protecting our mental health, we think about exercise, sleep, friends and therapy.
We don’t usually think about buying a concert ticket.
But a new study suggests we might want to.
Researchers followed thousands of older adults for up to 16 years. Those who regularly went to museums, galleries, concerts, the theater or the cinema were 29% less likely to end up in hospital with a mental disorder.
And “regularly” didn’t mean every week. It meant every few months.
8 274 adults over 50 were followed for 16 years
The study, published in JAMA Network Open on October 14, comes from researchers at University College London, including Daisy Fancourt, who has spent years studying the health effects of the arts.
They used the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a long-running study of people aged 50 and over in England.
In 2008–09, 8 274 adults reported how often they:
- went to the cinema
- visited art galleries, exhibitions or museums
- attended the theater, concerts or opera
The researchers then linked their answers to national hospital records through March 2024, tracking who was later treated in hospital for a mental disorder.
That’s important. Most studies on this topic rely on people reporting their own mental health. Here, the outcomes came from actual hospital diagnoses.
Going every few months was linked to 29% lower risk
Compared with people who never went, those who went every few months or more had:
- 29% lower risk of any hospital-treated mental disorder
- 29% lower risk of dementia
- 27% lower risk of mood disorders, such as depression
- 25% lower risk of substance misuse
Even people who went only once or twice a year had a 23% lower risk of any mental disorder.
These results held after accounting for age, education, wealth, employment, smoking, drinking, physical activity, living alone and other social activities.
The authors note that the size of the link is comparable to physical activity, which studies associate with 17% to 25% lower risk of depression.
Wealth alone didn’t seem to explain the link
That’s the obvious objection. People who go to museums and concerts tend to be wealthier, better educated and healthier.
The researchers tested this in a clever way.
They looked at three “negative control” conditions, problems that follow similar social patterns to mental disorders but shouldn’t be affected by culture: eye disease, ear disease and traumatic brain injury.
If cultural engagement were just a marker of being well-off, culture-goers should have had less of those too.
They didn’t. Cultural engagement was linked only to mental disorders, not to the control conditions.
The researchers also excluded people diagnosed soon after the study began, in case early symptoms had already made them stop going out. The results held.
Stimulation, emotion and stress relief may play a part
The study didn’t test how culture helps, but researchers have several ideas:
- Mental stimulation. A film, play or exhibition gives the brain something new to process and interpret.
- Emotional release. Art lets us feel and work through emotions in a safe space.
- Stress relief. Getting absorbed in a performance can pull attention away from daily worries.
- Connection. Cultural events usually mean getting out of the house, often with other people.
- Meaning and awe. Great art can give a sense of wonder and perspective.
Interestingly, the link held even after adjusting for social isolation and other community activities, suggesting culture may offer something beyond just being sociable.
Every few months was enough to count as frequent
The study can’t prove that going to a museum prevents mental illness. But it’s a low-risk, enjoyable habit, so here are some reasonable takeaways:
- Aim for something every few months. That was enough to land in the “frequent” group.
- Mix it up. Cinema, galleries, concerts, theater and opera all counted.
- Put it in the calendar. A seasonal ticket or a regular museum date makes it easier to keep up.
- Bring someone. Shared experiences may add social benefits.
- Start small. Even once or twice a year was linked to lower risk than never going.
What the study doesn’t show
This is a peer-reviewed observational study, so it shows an association, not proof that culture prevents mental disorders.
Cultural engagement was measured only once, at the start. People’s habits may have changed over the years.
Despite extensive adjustments, unmeasured differences between people could still explain part of the link.
The dementia finding was weaker in one analysis that accounted for the fact that culture-goers also tend to live longer. And there was no clear link with anxiety-type disorders, such as phobias and PTSD.
The participants were older adults in England, mostly White, so the results may differ in other groups.
Culture may belong next to exercise and sleep
We often treat culture as a luxury, something to fit in when there’s time and money left over.
This study suggests it may belong closer to exercise and sleep: a regular habit that’s linked to a healthier mind over the long run.
Your next concert ticket might be one of the best investments in your mental health.