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ARVICO project stems from the intersectoral collaboration agreement between the Fine Arts Faculty (Complutense University of Madrid), the Health Prevention and Promotion Service (Madrid City Council), and the Sisters Hospitallers’ Psychosocial Rehabilitation Line, that made possible to fully incorporate the artistic element in the psychosocial rehabilitation of a group of adults with severe mental disorders.

ARVICO aims to improve social and communication skills in people with severe mental disorders through participatory artistic practices in museums.

The project is geared towards permanent implementation in psychosocial rehabilitation programs through a robust methodology that guarantees its quality, replicability, and the reliability of its results.

ARVICO relies on an experimental design with pre-test and post-test measures and a control group. It is an intersectoral project using mixed methodology, with data collected through structured and validated social-skills interviews, artistic products, and participant observation.

Quantitative and qualitative data analysis reveals improvements in areas such as interpersonal relationships, defending one's rights, handling conversations, handling requests, public speaking skills, interacting with authority figures and peers, group interaction, and expressing feelings, which implies socially skilled behavior and interpersonal competence.

The intersectoral nature of the project required constant knowledge exchange for consolidating the alliance between art and health.

Participatory artistic practices in the museum became an experience of interpersonal bonding and a key element in developing social behaviors.

The embodied artistic experience provides creative possibilities in social skills training, and serves as catalyst for meaningful learning experiences that improve well-being, health, and quality of life.