Member Book Club – Art Cure

The Heritage Crafts’ member Book Club meets once per quarter.

When 9 September 2026, 6.30pm
Where: Zoom (register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/X44ccxfwT96_nhF0Qo_Dqg)

The next book is Art Cure by Daisy Fancourt. 

You can find the book online or in most bookstores. An audiobook version is available on Audible and Spotify. If you are having trouble finding the book, please email [email protected].

The questions below are there for you to consider when reading Art Cure if you wish to enhance your reading experience before the book club meeting. We will chat about some of the questions, but the group conversation will not be forced to stay strictly on these questions.

• Fancourt explores how engagement with the arts directly affects our psychology, reducing stress hormones and fostering mental resilience. Did any of the examples mentioned in the book change or deepen your understanding of why making feels inherently therapeutic?
• The book examines various forms of cultural participation, from visiting museums to active art-making. How do you think the tactile nature of traditional craft differs in impact from engagement in more less tangible creative pursuits like listening to music or watching a performance?
• Social prescribing is increasingly being spoken about. Do you see traditional craft skills playing a role in this movement, and what are the key hurdles to making craft workshops widely accessible through prescription?
• One challenge Fancourt addresses is quantifying the impact of the arts in evidence-based systems. Did the research methods discussed in the book feel convincing, or are there aspects of the craft experience that resist objective measurement?
• Has reading the book prompted you to reflect differently on your own making routine, work environment or creative habits?

Register here

Happy reading!