Connections between youth cultures, health, and art: Perspectives from young people living in the urban periphery

Abstract

This article examines discussions surrounding youth cultures and health policies, with an emphasis on mental health. It is grounded in a theoretical and epistemological approach that recognizes youth cultures and the centrality of everyday life as fundamental spaces for young people. The objective is to analyze how the relationship between youth cultures, health, and art manifests in the lives of these young people. The methodology is based on ethnography, incorporating participant observation and field notes. Data were analyzed using discourse analysis. The results suggest that young people’s relationship with health is mediated by the body. In this context, health is not merely the absence of disease but is directly linked to dance and the lived experience within the group. Art—through dance, theater, and music—plays a crucial role in identity affirmation and in the promotion of mental health, providing spaces for expression and belonging. Finally, it is essential that public health policies be developed through dialogue, by attending to the demands and realities of young people, and that health practices remain flexible enough to adapt to their lived experiences.