Arts for Change: Promoting Sustainability and Well-being through Music and Rhythm
08 december 2026 08:30 – 12:00 Visual Lab, ARC, Örebro universitet Öppet för alla
How can art, music, rhythm and movement contribute to positive change, both for individuals and for society?
On Tuesday, 8 December, we invite you to an inspiring morning where research, practice and creativity come together. Under the theme Arts for Change: Promoting Sustainability and Well-being through Music and Rhythm, we will explore different perspectives on how artistic expression can promote well-being, participation and sustainable development.
The programme will feature Musicalo, an initiative that uses music to foster positive social strategies among children, as well as Dance for Health, where dance and movement are used to promote joy, connection and well-being among young people. We will also hear from Professor Giovanni De Feo, who will share insights from The Greenopoli Way, exploring the connections between music, rhythm, sustainability and engagement.
Throughout the morning, research and inspiration will be combined with practical activities and opportunities for reflection.
Programme
08:30 – 08:45 Coffee & Arrival
08:45–09:00 Welcome: Arts as a Force for Change
A brief scientific introduction: What Do We Know? Connecting health and arts for youth. Speaker: Anna Duberg
09:00 – 09:45 Musicalo: Using Music to Foster Positive Social Strategies in Children
Exploring the role of music in emotions, participation and well-being. Speaker: Anna-Karin Andershed
09:45 –10:00 Music in Action
Potentially Peter Knudsen's AI-related project (TBC).
10:00 – 10:45 Dance for Health: Using Movement to Promote Joy, Connection and Well-being among Young People
An introduction to the research and methodology, followed by a brief practical workshop. Speakers: Anna Duberg and Frida Ekholm
10:45–11:00 Break and refreshments
11:00–11:45 Keynote: Music, Rhythm & Sustainability – The Greenopoli Way
Speaker: Professor Giovanni De Feo, University of Salerno
11:45–12:00 Questions and Closing Reflections: Evidence – Experience – Reflection – Action
More about the speakers and projects
Giovanni De Feo is an Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at the University of Salerno, Italy, specialising in industrial ecology, life cycle assessment and sustainable waste management. He is also the creator of Greenopoli, an environmental education project launched in 2006 that combines science, storytelling, humour and creativity to make sustainability accessible and engaging for everyone. Known as “Mr Greenopoli”, he has inspired around 120,000 people, particularly young students, to become active participants in environmental change. His philosophy is simple: a more sustainable world begins with education, participation and a smile.
Anna-Karin Andershed is a Ph.D and Professor of Psychology at the Department of Criminology at Örebro University. Her research focuses on risk and protective factors for normbreaking, antisocial behavior in children and youth, and on early prevention. She is the founder of Musicalo, developed together with composer Fredrik Berglund. Musicalo is a research based music programme that uses song and movement to strengthen social and emotional skills and strategies among children in pre- and elementary school.
Anna Duberg holds a PhD in Health Sciences and is a specialist physiotherapist in mental health. She is an affiliated researcher at Örebro University and a research supervisor at the University Healthcare Research Center, Region Örebro County. Her research focuses on how different forms of physical activity can support mental health for vulnerable target groups. She works on social innovation through Örebro University’s Social Impact Lab and the NEOLAiA European Universities Alliance. She founded Dance for Health, a research-based method that uses joyful movement to support young people experiencing stress. The method is used across Sweden to complement school health services.