Art has been used for centuries as a coping mechanism. At a traumatic and challenging time in history, therapeutic art making can improve physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. It can also act as a gateway for people all over the world to express themselves artistically in order to feel optimistic.

According to McNiff, “Engaging in the arts is empowering during perilous life circumstances because it reminds us of the powerful will of the human spirit to remake and transform both internal and external realities" ( as cited in Gupta, 2020, p. 597). Imagination empowers people to participate in society and be able to make a difference in the world. It is hard for society to cope with COVID-19 since it  is not something that can be seen physically moving from person to person. People can imagine the virus and bring what is unconscious to consciousness through art. The virus, which is invisible to the naked eye, becomes physical and makes people become more conscious of the psychological reality that is taking place by making a picture. When art is shared, it may assist in the creation of discussions and additional feelings/emotions about the subject due to shared human experiences.When transmitting feelings on paper during times of mutual crisis, the arts can also offer a sense of healing and relaxation. The arts have played a central role in navigating the crisis, and have brought people together through shared emotions.

Over the years, research has shown that artistic practices, such as painting, can help alleviate tension, express one's creative side, aid communication, get in touch with one's emotions, and prevent cognitive decline (Harvard University, 2017). Art, in particular, is a creative outlet that has been shown to help people relax and relieve stress (2017). Works of art have been shown to lower levels of certain biomarkers in the body that are indicative of stress, such as cortisol levels. In one study conducted to explore the benefits of art, 75% of participants’ cortisol levels were actually lowered after just 45 minutes of producing art work ( Kaimal, Ray, and  Muniz, 2012). Producing and watching art can also be beneficial ways of self-care. Art can aid in the promotion of physical and mental wellbeing, which is particularly relevant in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the COVID-19 pandemic first broke out and many people's lives were turned upside down, art became a global coping mechanism.

Here are examples of how art has been used during COVID-19: