This pilot research study carried out in 2023 aimed to understand the benefits of a six week art appreciation entitled ‘Art Refresh’, organised by National Gallery Singapore, for nine participants from the Singapore Cancer Society. The study uses Kirshbaum’s (2021) Energy Restoration attributes and identifies how the weekly activities attributes of ‘Nurturing’, ‘Purposeful’, ‘Expansive’, ‘Connecting and Belonging’ and ‘Fascination and Stimulation’ come about from the Gallery’s engagement approaches. Qualitative data, based on observations, focus group discussions and video recordings, along with quantitative data from observational logs and surveys reflect the most improvement among participants in the attribute of ‘Connecting and Belonging’. Further discussion explicates how the Gallery as a building, together with the Art Refresh programme, provide restorative opportunities to address cancer fatigue in cancer survivors. It recommends that the Gallery’s Audience Engagement Framework be used as a source of direction in the design of Gallery programmes for cancer patients to achieve the Energy Restoration attributes as tangible outcomes.

Pilot Research on Art Refresh (National Gallery Singapore) – A Programme for Energy Restoration with Cancer Survivors
• Arts Research • Collaborations • Visual Art
This pilot research study carried out in 2023 aimed to understand the benefits of a six week art appreciation entitled ‘Art Refresh’, organised by National Gallery Singapore, for nine participants from the Singapore Cancer Society. The study uses Kirshbaum’s (2021) Energy Restoration attributes and identifies how the weekly activities attributes of ‘Nurturing’, ‘Purposeful’, ‘Expansive’, ‘Connecting […]