Societal challenges and the arts
The arts[1] can shed new light on the past, hold up a mirror to contemporary life and initiate new perspectives for the future. They have the power to move us, educate us and question accepted narratives. They can also foster an exchange in which people encounter points of view radically different from their own. In the process, the arts can inspire personal belonging and mutual understanding. They can also foster civic engagement and social change, mobilising a variety of actors around a common agenda. As such, the arts can complement scientific and policy approaches.