Text

Since opening in 2015, National Gallery Singapore (Gallery) has championed accessibility and produced inclusive, evidence-based arts programmes for diverse audiences. During the pandemic, the Gallery produced the Slow Art Guide, a unique programme that combines art appreciation with elements of slow looking and mindfulness. Between 2023 and 2024, the Gallery embarked on action research to study the impact of Slow Art Guide on individual well-being.

This paper presents a summary of the process and results of Phase 1 and 2 of the two-year research. 72 participants took part in a mixed-method data collection process that included pre and post self-reported survey featuring an adapted version of the State Trait Anxiety inventory (STAI), as well as focused group discussions. The results from both sets of data demonstrate Slow Art Guide’s success in establishing conditions of mindfulness, which led to both narrative statements and statistical improvement of well-being for the participants. Qualitative data in particular maps out a process of transformation within the participants who became more attuned with their feelings and attitudes towards the end of the experience. The research also produced a set of unique guidelines in designing a slow looking experience, providing a framework for direct application and replicability.

The research underscores the importance of designing museum-based programmes with the well-being of visitors in mind. By offering a framework to design similar experiences in arts and culture spaces, the research also affirms the role that museums can play in supporting societal well-being and promoting cultural resilience.