Tackling Loneliness Through Dialogue at the Zeeuws Museum
The Asociación de Arte Útil was invited to be part of a series of conversations as part of eenZM (a wordplay on eenzaam meaning “lonely” and één Zeeuws Museum) a project developed by the Zeeuws Museum in Middelburg (NL). Since 2021, the museum has been exploring the role of art in breaking the silence around loneliness through different activities in order to investigate the role of museums in building a resilient society. At the heart of the program was Een goed gesprek (A Good Conversation), a public engagement series inviting small groups of visitors to reflect on loneliness and connection through dialogue sparked by contemporary artworks.
eenZM meetup, January 2025, Zeeuws Museum, Photo: Viorella Luciana
The impact report on Een goed gesprek, conducted between 2022 and 2023, reveals that the project had a meaningful impact on participants. Nearly everyone involved reported experiencing sincere conversations with strangers. The presence of an artwork served not merely as a backdrop but as a kind of social equaliser, a focal point that gently invited vulnerability, mutual respect, and shared reflection. The structured Socratic dialogue format played a crucial role, offering a safe space for participants to explore their assumptions and speak openly about their personal experiences. Interestingly, these discussions often continued beyond the museum space, fulfilling the project’s intended “oil stain effect” intended as a slow but intentional ripple through the wider community. One of the most important insights to emerge from the research is the redefinition of the artwork’s role. Far from being a passive object of contemplation, the selected pieces functioned as active catalysts, prompting empathy, challenging social isolation, and enabling open dialogue on complex emotions like loneliness and belonging. Although not all participants related equally to the structured format, and the study’s sample sise was modest, the findings nonetheless highlight how cultural institutions can become soft infrastructures for mental well-being and civic engagement.
In doing so, the project affirms several of the core principles of Arte Útil. The work at the Zeeuws Museum reminds us that art, when used deliberately, can spark the kinds of conversations we often avoid, particularly those that require emotional risk. It also underscores that museums are not neutral spaces. Creating these kinds of engagements, however, does not happen by accident. It demands trained staff, clear framing, and emotionally safe settings. Yet as the feedback explains, even modest interventions can have a lasting impact.
eenZM meetup, January 2025, Zeeuws Museum, Photo: Viorella Luciana
Loneliness remains a complex and growing social issue, exacerbated by the pandemic and structural inequalities. Yet, it often remains hidden due to stigma. Through Een goed gesprek, the Zeeuws Museum attempts to show that art can be used as a methodology, not to offer solutions, but to create conditions for change.
As part of the program, a rotating selection of case studies that provides possible ways to cope with loneliness are on display at the museum.
eenZM meetup, January 2025, Zeeuws Museum, Photo: Viorella Luciana
