The promise of spring is nearly here. The chirps of the birds have returned, and it is becoming more socially acceptable to wear hoodies outside instead of full winter gear equipped with long johns, gloves, hats, and the thickest coats you own.
If you are not an Iowa or Midwest native, this warmer weather may seem promising, maybe even uplifting. But beware of the dip back into those days of negative temperatures.
When the weather keeps everyone inside, many fall victim to cabin fever, a restlessness caused by being confined in the same space. Midwesterners are also familiar with seasonal depression born from dreary winters that sprout a new cacophony of irritability, sadness, loneliness, and all those big emotions that come with the season.
Luckily, being in Iowa City means there are plenty of opportunities for art to bring seasonal depression-afflicted patrons out of their funk. Going out in these harsh temperatures may be the last thing you want to do, but art can help ease the mind out of feeling cooped up.
“Going out and viewing art in person, like going to a museum, an art show, or even a concert or play, as opposed to consuming art in a virtual space, allows you to look at the work from different perspectives in an active way,” Kaleb Wiebel, a 2024 University of Iowa graduate, said. “This helps to engage the mind and get that dopamine hit that I don’t always get when I passively view stuff through a screen, just on my couch.”
Wiebel’s assertions are more than personal testimony; his experience is reflected in recent discoveries in therapy. Dance, music, theater, and painting have all been used in a new route of therapy that uses art to stand in when words fall short for therapy clients.
For some patients, experiencing emotions within a piece of art helps them better articulate what they feel. This type of exposure helps us get that dopamine response we all constantly crave. It helps us think about the world around us, and it helps extend our attention spans so we can go longer without our phones.
Live music is one of the age-old sources of community among fans of the arts. Experiencing live music with other people is a source of emotional liberation and unity that we can’t get from listening to music alone at home.
The neurological boost we get from live music, and live art in general, lasts long after the event is over. Mood improvements and stress relief are factors that last long after leaving a concert venue.
These two benefits alone make live art or performance the perfect answer for stressed out college students seeking relief. If the loneliness of seasonal depression isn’t a problem, though, live arts events can also boost creative productivity.
“Viewing art gives me creative inspiration whenever I’m in a slump, which is good for my mental health because making something works my brain in ways sitting around the house cannot,” Wiebel said.
“Dance was my outlet of expression for 16 years of my life. Through the hardest moments, I was able to let loose and share my feelings without even having to speak,” Olivia Van Fosson-Roelfs, a fourth-year at the UI, said.
Luckily, Iowa City’s arts community is so varied that there is an outlet for people no matter what medium they work in. From concerts at The Englert Theatre, and plays at Riverside Theatre to comedy at AlleyCat, Wiebel and Van Fosson-Roelfs have tried it. Take it from these students — there’s no better reliever than live arts.
“You don’t have to think, you literally just let it all out,” Van Fosson-Roelfs said.