Table 1.

Studies that examined therapeutic efficacy.

Author(s)	Type of study	N	Population (age in years)	Open studio setting	Data collection and analysis	Main results
Allan et al. (2015)UK	Mixed	13	Adults (22–65) coping with acute mental illness in transition from acute to community mental health care.	The open studio operates in an art organization in the city center. Affiliated to NHS in Britain. Based on the principles of the recovery approach. Weekly, 2-h meetings for a period of 8–13 months, moderated by two facilitators. Meetings include an introduction, artmaking and time for sharing. During the group sessions, facilitators circulate among participants and ask them about their daily lives.	Self-report questionnaires at the beginning and end of the program: The Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation screening measure (CORE-10) Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) Social inclusion measure Qualitative data was gathered by means of a semi-structured interview with each participant at the end of the program.	Quantitative: 9 out of 13 participants demonstrated significantly lower distress levels and/or increase in quality of life at end of program as compared to beginning. Qualitative: Participants reported that the group contributed significantly to their quality of life.
Chiu et al. (2015)CAN	Mixed	36	Adults (23–79) in acute psychiatric states and hospitalized in the psychiatric department.	The Open Studio is situated in the psychiatric department of Toronto General Hospital. It operates once a week for 2 h and is facilitated by an art therapist and a student. The study was conducted over a period of half a year. The group was open to anyone including staff and interns and there was no need for a referral. It offers a creative experience in a community atmosphere; the door is open, and you can join or leave freely.	Data was collected using a self-report questionnaire that relates to mood at a specific point of time. A POMS-B questionnaire was filled out by participants before and after the group sessions. A true-false questionnaire was administered to the clients at the end of the therapeutic session in order to collect data about their open studio experience. In addition, the study includes two vignettes.	Quantitative: Significant reduction of negative moods after open studio session. 81% of participants reported they would be interested in participating in a similar community group, once they are released from hospital. Qualitative: Participants reported that the group allowed them to express experiences that they were unable to express in words and increased their sense of community belonging.
Czamanski-Cohen (2010)ISR	Qualitative	4	Girls (13–14) who were evacuated from their homes in Gush Katif during implementation of the Disengagement Plan.	Open studio in a girls' school, facilitated by one art therapist; 1 weekly session during the school year.	Case study that uses the collaborative inquiry approach to art therapy research to analyze and document conversation, interactions, use of the space and artwork in an open studio. Artwork was analyzed using a compositional and psychoanalytic approach. Semi-structured interview of participants on their experience of the studio and the presentation of their work.	Analysis of observations and interviews reveals that the open studio allows normalization of feelings about abnormal or chaotic situations. Artmaking allowed the processing of memories and reinforced a sense of community belonging. The enjoyable process helped evacuees cope with depression and anhedonia.
Czamanski-Cohen (2012)ISR	Qualitative	5	Adults (ages not specified) suffering from cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy.	The open studio held weekly sessions facilitated by one art therapist in the Support Center for Cancer Patients.	Case study that makes use of narrative analysis based on the collaborative inquiry approach to art therapy research by documenting conversation, use of the space and art in open studio sessions. Semi-structured interviews that include reflective observation of artwork and participants' experience of the open studio. Shared process of reflection involving the interviewee, on analyzed data from the interview.	Observations and interviews reveal that artmaking helped participants who were conflicted regarding their treatments. Artmaking supported the decision-making process and boosted courage. Art helped patients connect to their inner selves and find answers to their questions. Art also helped examine past medical decisions.
Glinzak (2016)USA	Quantitative	73	Adult (above 18) cancer patients in treatment or in follow-up care.	The efficacy of various art therapy interventions was examined, including an open studio operating in the oncology department of a general hospital. The sessions were open, took place twice a month and lasted 5.5 h; participants came and went as they pleased.	Analysis of self-report (distress thermometer) questionnaires that participants filled out before and after art therapy in four different settings: individual intervention in the chemotherapy treatment clinic; individual intervention beside the patient's bed in the oncology department; long-term individual therapy; open studio at hospital.	All interventions were found to be effective in reducing stress. Out of the four settings, the open studio was the most effective in reducing stress.
Griffith et al. (2015)USA	Mixed	78	Homeless adults (ages not specified).	An open studio in a community center that serves the homeless, combined with a gallery that sells artwork. Open every day. The research was conducted over a period of 1 year.	Observations and documentation of changes in six areas according to categories of life achievement (Prescott et al., 2008) combined with vignettes from therapy sessions. Associations between frequency of attendance of group sessions and increase in life achievement were examined; a comparison was made between life achievement of participants who took part in the open studio only and those of participants who took part in both the studio and art cooperative that sells artwork.	Quantitative: a significant positive correlation was found between participation in the group and an increase in life achievement such as finding a job, rehabilitation, finding housing, initiative, etc. In addition, participants who took part both in the open studio as well as the gallery for sale of artwork demonstrated a more meaningful increase in life achievements than the participants who only took part in the open studio. Qualitative: Vignettes based on work with various patients.
Heller (2015)ISR	Mixed	16	Children (11–12) in primary school.	Open studio in a primary school, 20 weekly meetings. Each group has 4 participants. Research conducted on 4 groups.	The qualitative data was collected from observations, reflective content analysis, and a semi-structured interview. The quantitative data was collected by identifying coping styles using a 6-part story and self-report questionnaires relating to the concept of academic self-efficacy (Sherir and Maddux, 1982) and the concept of social self-efficacy (Fan and Mak, 1998; Matsushima and Shiomi, 2003),	Quantitative: Participation in the open studio resulted in an increased sense of self-efficacy and ability to cope with problems. Qualitative: reflective practice mirrors a wider range of cognitive skills.
Howells and Zelnik (2009)USA	Qualitative	20	Adults (24–75). Half suffer from psychiatric disorders and half did not report any psychiatric disorders.	Community-based open studio operating in a psychiatric rehabilitation center. The open studio operated in the city center in a building that was not affiliated with the rehabilitation center. The studio holds art classes and includes a gallery and workspace. Open to all community members. The research was conducted over the course of 1 year.	Action study that uses ethnographic tools, such as in-depth semi structured interviews, observations and an observation journal kept by the researchers.	Interviews and content of observation journals revealed that art making allowed the participants to assume new identities and roles. A community of artists was created, and art was perceived as a bridge to the community-at-large. Participants reported that the outcome, and not only the process, was important.
Kaimal et al. (2017)CAN	Quantitative	29	Healthy adults (19–67).	An open art therapy studio in a university. Each participant had two individual sessions with an art therapist. One meeting was held in an open studio format where materials were laid out and the participant engaged in unguided artmaking. In the other meeting. participants chose a coloring sheet and used either colored pencils or markers to do the coloring.	An experimental study in which each participant had one session of each kind. Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS); General Self Efficacy Scale (GSE) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) self-report questionnaires were administered before and after the sessions.	Both interventions led to a higher positive affect, creative experience and sense of self efficacy. The open studio contributed more than individual coloring in terms of positive affect, creative experience and sense of self efficacy, and was equal to individual coloring in regard to reduction of stress, especially among younger participants.
Kaimal and Ray (2017)USA	Mixed	39	Healthy adults (18–59).	45-min individual session in an open studio format held in an art therapy studio in a university. The session was facilitated by an art therapist.	Quasi-experimental study (measures taken before and after intervention, no control group) PANAS, a validated standardized measure (Watson et al., 1988) and the validated General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES; Schwarzer and Jerusalem, 1995) self-report questionnaires measuring positive and negative affect and sense of self-efficacy administered before and	Quantitative: significant reduction of negative affect and increase of positive affect and sense of self-efficacy after artmaking in the open studio. Qualitative: The artwork included a variety of themes: nature, people, activities and abstract exploration of colors and shapes.
					after the session. In addition, participants summed up their experiences of artmaking at the end of the session and wrote a narrative summary of their artwork.
Maselli (1998)USA	Mixed	16	Healthy adults (21–82).	A community-based open studio operating in a church. Weekly, 2-h sessions over the course of 10.5 months. Two groups of adults with 8 participants each, facilitated by an art therapist. Participants could attend as they please, entrance was free.	Quasi-experimental (measures taken before and after intervention, no control group) as well as naturalistic- ethnographic study. Included observations and documentation of written and verbal comments of the participants, analysis of artwork and self-report questionnaires that measure levels of depression and preferred use of time. Beck Depression Inventory; Luscher Quick Color Test Evaluations; Oinebell Time-Values Inventory.	Quantitative: Reduction of depression levels and changes in priorities regarding health and well-being. Qualitative: Participants reported changes in the way they use their free time. In addition, they reported that the open studio experience was meaningful to them and generated self-exploration with a focus on self-development.
Ourso (2016)USA	Qualitative	10	Youth and adults (15–50) no specific characteristics.	Privately operated, community-based open studio situated in city center. Research was conducted over a period of 6 weeks.	Action study that examined the emotional effects of participation in the open studio. Uses self-report questionnaires based on study participants' feedback that examined the emotional effects of participation in the open studio. These questionnaires were filled out by participants before and after the course of the study. In addition, use of semi-structured interviews, analysis of artwork and observations of researcher.	Participants reported a decrease in stress levels, improved moods and an increase in energy levels.
Phoenix-Beck (2018)USA	Mixed	18	Adults above the age of 65.	Open Studio in a community center for seniors. Research conducted over a period of 6 weeks.	Quantitative data generated by Ottawa Mood Scale self-report questionnaire. Qualitative data collected by means of demographic questionnaires and one-word descriptions relating to filled out questionnaire.	Quantitative: increase in mood level. Qualitative: better communication skills that can contribute to quality of life of participating seniors.
Piot and Plante (2009)CAN	Mixed	35	Adults suffering from cancer (no specific reference to age).	Open studio near a hospital for oncology patients. The research was conducted over a period of 7 months.	Self-report questionnaires (name not noted) and semi-structured interview.	Quantitative: Reinforced sense of control and increased self-esteem. Qualitative: Participants reported that the open studio was a refuge and it reinforced their sense of belonging.
Stokrocki et al. (2004)USA	Qualitative	3	Homeless women (no specific reference to age) who had experienced domestic violence.	Open studio for homeless women established in the researcher's home as part of a research project.	Action study including interviews.	Interviews with women reveal that artmaking in the open studio provides important social connections, meaning and strengthens self-esteem.
Thompson (2016)USA	Qualitative	10	Adults psychiatric patients diagnosed with a severe mental illness (no specific reference to age).	12 meetings of an open studio over a 6-week period that included presentation of work in a gallery at the Community Mental Health Center. Participants were patients that were in transition from hospitalization to community mental health care.	Action study combined with art-based research and narrative analysis of semi-structured interviews. The purpose was to explore the researchers/partners experience of the transformative effect of art.	Participant interviews reveal that artmaking in the open studio promotes an artist identity through the formation of a new sense of self and the discovery of empowering new self-narratives. Symptoms were reduced as was the dependence on negative aspects of the psychiatric narratives.