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Background: Livings Museums provide open studio spaces where individuals facing mental health challenges are invited to do art. Participants can explore an extensive variety of artistic forms and disciplines, including drawing, painting, sculpture, textile, nature crafts, performing arts, writing and music. The Living Museums provide the necessary infrastructure and professional guidance from art educators and/or therapists, introducing art techniques and approaches that can be further explored at each participant’s own pace and interest. The Living Museum Society, a non-profit association, was founded 2013 in Switzerland. This organization maintains an international network of Living Museums, supporting knowledge exchange, networking, and the growth of the movement globally.

Objectives: Demonstration of the impact of the support structure through the Living Museum Society on individual Living Museums.

Method: Individual Living Museums will be interviewed regarding the impact of the Living Museum Society on foundation, artist engagement and network building.

Insights & Conclusion: Each Living Museum creates a strong, supportive artistic community. Different forms of Living Museums have been established in various countries, for example within psychiatric hospitals, in collaboration with art schools, as independent studios or even in mobile setups.

The Living Museum Society forms an international network engaged in continuous exchange, art projects and exhibitions across countries, enabling Living Museums and their artists to feeling the power of the movement.