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Arts and culture Twenty years ago, arts and culture based initiatives were perceived to be on the periphery of the community development process.78 This view has since changed. Evidence has shown that art, as a medium, can enable individuals and groups to be more confident, skilled, employable and more active in the development of their local communities. In this way, arts and culture initiatives can make a significant contribution to enhancing community resilience.79 The arts (which encompass performing, visual, literary and media arts) can address a broad range of civic concerns in creative, refreshing and cost-effective ways.80 They have the power to connect cognitive reasoning, emotions and the senses – so that new perspectives and interpretations become possible. In addition to promoting resilience on an individual level, the arts can strengthen a community – for instance, by enabling the reconstruction of a group narrative after a tragic event and mobilise a community to take back control of their lives.81 In addition to promoting resilience on an individual level, the arts can strengthen a community – for instance, by enabling the reconstruction of a group narrative after a tragic event and mobilise a community to take back control of their lives. From a therapeutic perspective, the creation of art has been found to enable the retrieval and reprocessing of traumatic events which allows individuals to express themselves and progress their rehabilitation.82 This can be an effective way for children and adults to develop strength and resilience. In particular, adults who may find it challenging to express their emotions verbally may find that participating in the arts is a source of relief from emotional stress.83 A key way that arts-based project can strengthen community resilience is by promoting interaction in public spaces, such as the
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