{
  "abstract": "Background The ‘Art of Life’ project, funded by Creative Ireland, uses creative arts to normalise conversations around death and dying across communities in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Despite growing recognition of the role of creativity in promoting well-being and social connection, there is limited evidence on its wider social and economic value. Building on a pre-developed Theory of Change model, this evaluation applied a Social Return on Investment (SROI) approach to explore the social values of the ‘Art of Life’ creative workshops.Methods A mixed-methods design was employed, combining a post-workshop SROI questionnaire and focus group discussions. A total of n=120 participants completed the questionnaire, and three in-person focus groups were conducted in October 2025 with n=22 stakeholders, including workshop end-users, creatives and project partners. The focus groups explored participants’ experiences, perceived outcomes, and the broader social value of engaging in creative activities on end-of-life topics. Qualitative data was analysed thematically, and an SROI analysis was conducted to assess the social value generated for every euro invested in the workshops and the return on investment generated.Results The average age of participants was 66.8 years; 108 were female and 7 were male. Preliminary findings indicate improved emotional well-being, confidence, and openness in discussing death and dying and the end-of-life topic. Creatives reported personal and professional development and a deeper understanding of the social impact of their practice. Participants described effects within families and communities, suggesting increased awareness and communication around end-of-life issues.Conclusion The SROI evaluation highlights the significant personal and social benefits of using creative arts to engage communities in sensitive health and well-being topics. The findings support the integration of creative approaches into public health and compassionate community initiatives.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland"
      ],
      "name": "Shuhua Yang"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland"
      ],
      "name": "Mary Lynch"
    }
  ],
  "title": "P14-7 A social return on investment (SROI) evaluation of the ‘art of Life’ project: a mixed-methods study",
  "uid": "a8b23b62-09fa-5d80-af56-d6d0286d6f7b"
}