The gallery as therapeutic venue: Exploring visitor perceptions in a contemporary art space.

This prospective qualitative study explored the social and psychological impact of an exhibition at a contemporary art gallery. Three focus groups, including eight people aged 45-69, were held following a guided tour of an exhibition at Nottingham Contemporary gallery. The exhibition 'Uneven Geographies' featured the work of a variety of international artists focusing upon the politics of globalization through different media including film, installation and photography. Focus group transcripts were analysed using Braun and Clarke's six-phase model of thematic analysis. Three themes were identified: (1) 'It's almost like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle', (2) Interpreting the message and (3) Dissolving social barriers. Results indicated that the exhibition facilitated sense-making, that art interpretation was used as an educational tool, and attending the gallery promoted social inclusion. These findings confirm the potential of cultural institutions, to promote education, health and well-being at individual and societal levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]