A new international study led by researchers from the University of Vienna has found that simply viewing visual art—not creating it—can significantly improve mental well-being and enhance our sense of meaning in life.
Whether you’re admiring a painting in a museum, looking at art online, or enjoying artwork in your hospital room, the experience can be more powerful than many realize—especially with repeated exposure.
Published in the Journal of Positive Psychology, the study is the first to comprehensively review how, when, and why looking at art can support mental health. The research team included experts from Vienna, Dublin, Berlin, Cambridge, and Nijmegen and brought together insights from psychology, art therapy, neuroscience, and public health.
While it’s long been accepted that making art can help people emotionally and psychologically, the mental health benefits of viewing art have been less clear. Earlier studies hinted at improvements in mood and stress levels, but the evidence was scattered and lacked consistency.
This new study brings together findings from 38 high-quality research papers published between 2000 and 2023, involving more than 6,800 participants.
The researchers found that viewing art was most strongly linked to eudaimonic well-being—a deep sense of meaning, purpose, and personal growth. According to lead author MacKenzie Trupp from the University of Vienna and Radboud University’s Donders Institute, these results challenge the idea that art is merely a luxury.
Instead, the study suggests that art can play a meaningful role in our mental health—either through casual hobbies or structured programs.
Art viewing took place in a variety of settings, including museums, hospitals, homes, and even online. People engaged with art through different formats, such as self-guided viewing, group discussions, journaling, or emotional reflection. Some programs involved single visits, while others included repeated sessions.
A key finding was that reflective activities—like writing about the artwork or discussing emotional reactions—often strengthened the positive effects. This suggests that it’s not just what we look at, but how we engage with art that makes the biggest difference.
The researchers identified five main psychological pathways that explain how art viewing can support mental well-being:
- Emotional (Affective): Art can spark pleasure or help regulate emotions, calming us down or lifting our mood.
- Mental (Cognitive): It can capture attention, inspire reflection, and stimulate curiosity or learning.
- Social: Shared art experiences can create connection and reduce loneliness.
- Self-Reflective (Transformative): Art can help people reflect on their identity and life, offering a deeper sense of meaning.
- Resilience-Building: Especially in hospitals or high-stress environments, art can provide emotional relief and support healing.
These mechanisms suggest that viewing art is far more than passive entertainment—it can be a valuable tool for personal growth and emotional support.
To help future researchers build on this work, the team also created a new set of reporting standards called the Receptive Art Activity Research Reporting Guidelines (RAARR). These guidelines are designed to help scientists design better studies and compare results more easily.
Importantly, the study encourages educators, health professionals, and policy-makers to think about how art could be more purposefully included in everyday life. Because art is already found in so many public and private spaces, it offers a low-cost and widely accessible mental health resource.
In conclusion, this study shows that simply looking at art—not just creating it—can boost emotional health, reduce stress, build connection, and help us find meaning. When combined with reflective activities or shared experiences, the benefits are even greater.
As science continues to explore the relationship between art and well-being, this research offers a solid foundation for using art in mental health programs, schools, and even hospital design.
If you care about mental health, please read studies about 6 foods you can eat to improve mental health, and B vitamins could help prevent depression and anxiety.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how dairy foods may influence depression risk, and results showing Omega-3 fats may help reduce depression.
The research findings can be found in the Journal of Positive Psychology.
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