1. Studies on Third Places and Community Cohesion 
Key Themes Across These Studies:

Social Capital and Community Bonds: Numerous studies directly link third places to
the creation and maintenance of social capital, leading to stronger community bonds,
increased trust, and greater civic engagement.
Mental Health and Well-being: There is growing evidence that engaging with third
places mitigates loneliness, reduces stress, boosts mood, and contributes to overall
mental and emotional well-being, sometimes even comparably to natural
environments.

Inclusive Environments: Third places, by their nature, are seen as neutral spaces that
encourage interaction across diverse demographics, breaking down social barriers and
fostering understanding.
Informal Interaction: The spontaneous, low-stakes, and informal nature of interactions
in third places is consistently highlighted as a key mechanism for generating social
benefits.

Counteracting Isolation: In an increasingly individualized society, third places provide
crucial antidotes to social isolation, offering regular opportunities for connection and
belonging.

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The studies:
1. “How great and how good?: Third places, neighbor interaction, and cohesion in
the neighborhood context”
◦ Authors: Williams, J., & Hipp, J. R.
◦ Publication: Journal of Urban Affairs (2019). This is a highly relevant, empirical study.
◦ Summary: This study provides strong empirical support for Oldenburg’s claims. Using
survey data and business location data, they found a significant association between
the presence of neighborhood “third places” and both greater neighborhood cohesion
and increased neighbor interaction. Importantly, they also found that neighbor
interaction mediates the relationship between third places and cohesion in poor
neighborhoods, suggesting that these spaces are particularly vital for building social
capital where it might otherwise be scarce. This directly supports the idea that third
places foster stronger community ties.
◦ Link (ResearchGate): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328363686_How_great_and_how_good_Third_pl
aces_neighbor_interaction_and_cohesion_in_the_neighborhood_context

2. “A Study of Third Place: Benefits of Shared Leisure Practices in Public Gathering
Places”
◦ Author: Scott, S. J.
◦ Publication: This is a Master’s Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation (e.g., Middle Tennessee
State University, 2017), which is a form of peer-reviewed academic research.
◦ Summary: This study directly investigates the benefits of third places for communities.
It confirms that participation in public places, functioning as third places, facilitates
significant social benefits, including a heightened “sense of place” and the
establishment of trust and familiarity among citizens. It argues that this leads to the
promotion of social capital, making communities “better places to live.”
◦ Link (JEWLScholar@MTSU): https://jewlscholar.mtsu.edu/bitstreams/4299123e-6f3a-
43bb-8e8d-5c0f83128c77/download

3. “Closure of ‘Third Places’? Exploring Potential Consequences for Collective
Health and Wellbeing”
◦ Authors: Finlay, J. M., et al.
◦ Publication: Journal of Urban Health (2019). This is a peer-reviewed journal.
◦ Summary: While this study also touches on well-being, its core argument is about the
consequences of the loss of third places for community. It explicitly states that third
places are “key sites for social interaction, community building, and social support” and
that their disappearance can lead to negative community outcomes like alienation. It
emphasizes that the sustained use and connection among residents in third places
generate “social surplus: collective feelings of civic pride, acceptance of diversity, trust,

civility, and overall sense of togetherness within a locale.” This directly relates to
community cohesion.
◦ Link (PMC - PubMed Central): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6934089/

4. “Cafés of connection: exploring the social role of third places in Global South
universities”
◦ Authors: Lee, J., & Houston, J.
◦ Publication: Leisure Studies (2025 - published online ahead of print). This is a peer-
reviewed journal.
◦ Summary: While focused on a university context, this study’s findings are broadly
applicable. It directly discusses how cafes, as third places, are “vital to community life,
fostering social interaction, enhancing a shared sense of belonging, and improving
overall quality of life.” It emphasizes that these spaces “are crucial for fostering social
connections and support networks, offering regular meeting points where individuals
from diverse backgrounds can engage in various interactions and relations.” This clearly
points to their role in building community cohesion.
◦ Link (Taylor & Francis Online): https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03736245.2025.2481859

5. “Third Places and the Social Life of Streets”
◦ Authors: Mehta, V., & Bosson, J. K.
◦ Publication: Journal of Urban Design (2008). This is a peer-reviewed journal.
◦ Summary: This study investigates the physical characteristics of third places that
support sociability and place attachment, which are foundations for community
cohesion. It confirms that qualities making third places “welcoming and comfortable”
and enabling people to “meet old friends and make new ones” are crucial for the “social
life and cohesion” of urban areas. While not solely focused on cohesion, its empirical
analysis of design elements supporting sociability directly contributes to understanding
how cohesion is fostered.
◦ Link (ResearchGate): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249624412_Third_Places_and_the_Social_Life_o
f_Streets 

6. “Mental health status and third places use among rural working-age adults in the
United States”
◦ Authors: Reed, C., & Bohr, T.
◦ Publication: Journal of Mental Health (2025 - Note: This is a forthcoming publication or
early online release based on the provided search results)
◦ Summary: This study specifically investigates the relationship between mental health
and the use of third places in a rural adult population.7 It finds that both going to third
places and engaging with others in these spaces are associated with better
mental health outcomes.8 This research contributes to the growing body of literature
that positions third places as social determinants of health, emphasizing their role in
providing spaces for social connections, enabling recurrent interactions, facilitating bond
formation, and generating supportive relationships that contribute to social and

emotional well-being.

7. “Neurological benefits of third places for young adults in healthy urban
environments”
◦ Authors: Fu, J., et al.
◦ Publication: Journal of Environmental Psychology (2025 - Note: This is a forthcoming
publication or early online release based on the provided search results)
◦ Summary: This novel study uses neuroscientific methods (fNIRS) alongside
questionnaires and interviews to explore the healing potential of urban third places for
young adults.10 It found that third places demonstrate healing effects comparable to
natural environments neurologically, psychologically, and physiologically,
primarily by fostering “pleasure” through social engagement and environmental
design.11 This underscores the importance of social infrastructure, like third places, in
mental health support and in creating healthier, less stressful, and more emotionally
positive urban environments.

2. UK Specific Studies on Art and Community Well-being:

1. Groundbreaking New Research Reveals the Power of the Arts to Improve
Wellbeing (2024)
◦ Source: Breathe AHR (Commissioned by the UK government’s Department for Culture,
Media and Sport (DCMS) in collaboration with UCL’s World Health Organisation
Collaborating Centre for Arts and Health).
◦ Summary: This study provides quantitative evidence of the significant impact of arts
and culture on physical and mental health in the UK. It highlights how cultural
engagement benefits general health, improves children’s self-esteem, and how activities
like singing in choirs can improve the health of older adults. It estimates that the UK’s

investment in arts and culture delivers an £8 billion annual benefit to society through
improved quality of life and increased productivity, reducing demand on healthcare
services.2 It emphasizes that arts engagement is a “fundamental health behaviour” and
that investing in arts activities and community venues should be a priority for
preventative health models.

◦ Link: https://breatheahr.org/groundbreaking-new-research-reveals-the-power-of-the-arts-to-improve-physical-and-mental-wellbeing/

2. The Impact of Arts and Cultural Engagement on Population Health (2023)
◦ Source: Social Biobehavioural Research Group (UCL).
◦ Summary: This comprehensive scoping review collated over 3,000 studies, including
numerous UK cohort studies, demonstrating the significant role of arts and cultural
engagement in preventing physical and mental health conditions, promoting good
health, and managing illness across the lifespan. It found that arts engagement has a
preventative association with depression incidence and a lower risk of dementia
diagnosis.3 Crucially, it found that the positive associations between arts engagement
and health outcomes seen in short-term, small-scale interventions are also apparent
over time and at a population level in the UK.

◦ Link: https://sbbresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Arts-and-population-health-FINAL-March-2023.pdf

(Note: This is a direct PDF link, which will likely open the PDF in your browser.)

3. How arts and creativity can help build more cohesive communities (2024)
◦ Source: British Future (Research conducted following UK riots).5
◦ Summary: This report finds a strong public appetite for participating in arts and creative
activities in the UK (80% interested). It argues that bringing people together through
community arts projects can help build more cohesive communities by promoting social
mixing between people from different backgrounds, which is crucial for breaking down
fears and prejudices.6 72% of the UK public agree that “Arts events can bring people of
different backgrounds in Britain together,” and nearly half of those who participated in
creative arts activities said it “helped me to meet people of different backgrounds to
myself.”7 The report calls for arts and creativity to be a key strand of a national strategy
on social cohesion.

◦ Link: https://www.britishfuture.org/how-arts-and-creativity-can-help-build-more-cohesive-communities/

4. The impact of participatory arts in promoting social relationships for older people
within care homes (2020)
◦ Source: Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and the Older People’s Research Group,
Essex (OPRGE) – published in PMC (PubMed Central).
◦ Summary: This study specifically investigated the impact of participatory arts on social
relationships for older people in UK care homes. It found that engaging in shared
creative experiences facilitated social relationships, bringing together residents who
wouldn’t normally participate in group activities and building friendships. It also
improved relationships between residents and staff, fostering a better sense of social
cohesion and community for those with dementia.

◦ Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7522769/

5. Arts and crafts boost mental wellbeing – new study (2024)
◦ Source: Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) – published in Frontiers in Public Health.
◦ Summary: This UK study, using data from the annual “Taking Part” survey by the UK’s
Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, found that engaging in creative activities like
arts and crafts is as beneficial to mental well-being as having a job. Participants who
took part in arts and crafts reported higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction, and
a stronger sense that life is worthwhile. The positive effects were present even after

accounting for factors like employment status and deprivation, suggesting that
accessible creative opportunities could significantly boost public mental health in the
UK.

◦ Link: https://www.aru.ac.uk/news/arts-and-crafts-boost-mental-wellbeing-new-study

6. Assessing the impact of artistic and cultural activities on the health and well-
being of forcibly displaced people using participatory action research (2019)
◦ Source: BMJ Open (A UK-based study).
◦ Summary: This study focused on the psychosocial well-being of refugees and asylum
seekers in the UK. It found that artistic and cultural activities positively impacted
participants by helping them find a voice, create support networks, and learn practical
skills. It highlighted how arts participation enhanced a sense of well-being by fostering
meaningful relationships, improving social well-being, and boosting self-esteem and
self-confidence.11 The report cites the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts Health
and Well-being Inquiry Report, which states that “arts engagement has a beneficial
effect upon health and wellbeing and therefore has a vital part to play in the public
health arena.”

7. SCS0235 - Evidence on The social impact of participation in culture and sport
(Ongoing)
◦ Source: UK Parliament Committees (Arts Council England submission).
◦ Summary: This evidence submission from Arts Council England to a UK Parliament
committee highlights that engagement in arts and culture is significantly associated with
good health and well-being in the UK. It details how the Arts Council invests in health
and well-being outcomes, and cites evidence that people who attended a cultural event
in the previous 12 months were almost 60% more likely to report good health. It also
notes that libraries play an important role in facilitating social mobility and community
engagement, citing examples of co-produced arts programs in UK libraries.

◦ Link: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/89350/pdf/

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