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A public park scene with a crowd of people, some looking at phones. Text overlay reads "Something is thinning in public space." Graffiti is on the pavement.

A public park scene with a crowd of people, some looking at phones. Text overlay reads "Something is thinning in public space." Graffiti is on the pavement.

Creative Brief: Mission 1: Tackling Loneliness The Epidemic of Loneliness: The Context for ACTION • 33% of adults worldwide feel lonely regularly (WHO, BMJ). ⚬ Anchor: Imagine over a third of your social media friends feeling isolated. • 46% of men and 45% of women in the US report feeling lonely (Cigna US Loneliness Index). • 40% of young people globally (aged 16-24) experience loneliness (BMJ). ⚬ Anchor: In the UK, this rises to 1 in 2 young people. • Nearly 50% of young adults say no-one has asked how they are doing in weeks (Making Caring Common). • 60% of university students report feeling very lonely (American College Health Association). • Nearly 25% of adults aged 65 and older experience social isolation (WHO). ⚬ Anchor: Think about one in four older adults in your community living in isolation. • Only 50% of people intervene to help someone in distress (Nature, 2019). • A 2025 study of three US cities by colleagues at Yale and Harvard showed we now walk faster, linger less and socialise less than we did 50 years ago – revealing the thinning social fabric of our cities. “Something is thinning in public space. Pavements are still crowded. Parks still bustle. But if you look more closely (…) the texture of our interactions has changed.” 4 Tackling the Epidemic of Loneliness The first mission of Art For Social Change is to create powerful, thought-provoking visual art to inspire individuals to act unselfishly, to be kinder, gentler, friendlier, more thoughtful and more Mehr sehen