Successfully campaigned for the state to recognize and celebrate the arts by declaring April as Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month (ACCM) through a concurrent resolution passed in the California Senate.

Began socializing conversations at the interaction of arts and health with a social media campaign and webinars with press coverage.

 Additional resolution was declared to recognize artists as second responders.

• Hired a consultant, Arts in Public Health Professional, Jennifer Kuo, MPH, CHES®.
• Highlighted Arts & Health Panel at the Arts & Culture Summit. 
• Created a 4-part Arts & Health Webinar Series featuring thought leaders on various topics. 
• Submitted a public comment to the Department of Health and Human Services to consider access to arts participation as a factor of the social determinants of health (SDoH) and be included as a developmental objective for Healthy People 2030.

• Launched the Introduction Guide to Arts & Health.
• Presented “Introduction to Arts Participation as a Health Behavior in Public Health” poster session at the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) Conference in Long Beach, CA.
• Participated in the “Community Care, Healing, and Resilience through the Arts” panel at the LA County Arts and Health Week Summit.
• Hosted the 5-part Bridging Creativity & Care Webinar Series exploring creative arts therapies and community-based initiatives.
• Attended the Creating Healthy Communities Convening in Newark, New Jersey.
• Presented “Advocating for Arts Participation as a Health Behavior in Public Health” poster session at the National Organization for Arts in Health (NOAH) Conference in New York City, New York.

• Disseminated “The Case for Arts in Health Policy” Sheet to all state lawmakers and advocates at Arts Advocacy Day in April.
• Partnered with California Behavioral Health Association and introduced by Assembly Member Sharon Quirk-Silva, the California State Assembly passed ACR 204, a resolution recognizing the important role that arts integration plays in supporting behavioral health and brain health.
• Developed the Arts & Health Month Toolkit (November) with practical ideas, resources, and ready-to-use materials to recognize creativity as an essential part of community health and well-being.

The a2ru national conference is an opportunity for practitioners and researchers from across higher education to share innovations and perspectives in the arts. a2ru advances the full range of arts- and design-integrative research, curricula, programs, and creative practice to acknowledge, articulate, and expand the vital role of higher education in our global society. a2ru’s work, in partnership with an international network of leading higher education institutions, allies, and partners, envisions a world in which universities—students, faculty, and leaders—explore, embed, and integrate the arts in everyday practice and research.

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Announcing the Neuroarts Global Summit in Washington, DC, December 2-3, 2026. We’re bringing together global leaders, practitioners, researchers, artists, and policymakers to reflect, celebrate, and shape what’s to come. Save those dates and stay tuned for more information.

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