Background: Although researchers have suggested that consumer art can help reduce the stigma of mental illness, there is little evidence of the attitudes of the Japanese public towards such artwork.
Material: A total of 277 Japanese visitors attending an exhibition of visual arts by people with mental illness completed a short questionnaire.
Discussion: After their visit, approximately 87% of the participants reported being strongly or fairly impressed by the creative art. Word frequency analysis implied generally positive attitudes towards the works.
Conclusions: The Japanese public might generally have positive and empathetic attitudes towards artwork by people with mental illness.