Arts and creativity: maintaining mental wellbeing during COVID-19 lockdowns in UK universities

The COVID-19 pandemic placed increasing pressure on university staff with spiralling workloads due to the rapid implementation of changes to university processes and staff being required to take on additional duties due to self-isolating or unwell colleagues. The mental health of students was also adversely affected due to changes in their education and social life and the overall uncertainty caused by the pandemic. Engaging in creative and cultural activities has been demonstrated to have a positive impact on mental wellbeing. The present study aimed to explore how and why staff and students in one UK university engaged with arts, cultural and creative activities, and the perceived impact of this engagement on their mental wellbeing during UK lockdowns. This article presents findings from a series of fourteen qualitative interviews conducted with staff and students in the summer of 2021. Thematic analysis identified that participants engaged in the activities to enhance their mental wellbeing through a sense of achievement, enjoyment, absorption and connecting to others. However, the activities were also used as a coping strategy, to deal with loss, and to make meaning of the uncertainty caused by the pandemic.