California for the Arts | Arts & Health Initiative

Contact

+1 916-800-7118

1731 Howe Avenue, Suite 585 Sacramento, CA 95825 | Email: assistant@caforthearts.org

Arts & Health Initiative

The Arts & Health Initiative recognizes the arts as a powerful tool to enhance the health and well-being of our communities. One of the goals in our Vision 2030 Strategic Plan is to mobilize artists, culture bearers, creative workers, and community-centered arts and culture with other aligned sectors to develop public policies where arts and culture serve as drivers of community health and economic development.

We envision a future where California’s communities are both creative and healthy, with arts and cultural participation embraced as an essential component of preventative health and holistic well-being. We believe arts participation should be a recognized health behavior within the social determinants of health (SDoH) framework, fostering equitable access to creative experiences that improve mental and physical well-being, reduce health disparities, and strengthen social connections.

Resource

Introduction Guide to Arts & Health

This guide provides an overview of the field of arts and health. It includes a compilation of resources ranging from examples of existing programs, research, and more.

Webinar

Bridging Creativity & Care: Launching the Introduction Guide to Arts & Health

Join us for a foundational webinar designed to break down the essentials of the growing Arts & Health movement.

Event

CA Arts & Culture Summit

The 3rd annual CA Arts & Culture Summit's theme is dedicated to the vital role of arts and culture in promoting Health, Healing, and Hope within our communities.

Goals

Educate

Raise awareness of the growing body of research demonstrating the health benefits of arts participation and the impact on communities with resource materials.

Socialize

Curate opportunities for cross-sector conversations between artists, health workers, and lawmakers with programming and events to influence advocacy efforts.

Operationalize

Develop a referral program to make arts accessible for improving health while providing sustainable support for arts and culture organizations and the creative workforce that fosters equitable wellness and strengthens local cultural ecosystems.

Acknowledgment

We would like to acknowledge artists, culture bearers, creative workers, and community-based arts and culture organizations as they have been serving as health and wellness practitioners for generations. We understand that while the conversations around arts and health may seem new, these practices have been deeply rooted in diverse communities worldwide.

Accomplishments

2020-2022: Began socializing conversations at the interaction of arts and health with a social media campaign and webinars.
Spring 2024: Highlighted Arts & Health Panel at the Arts & Culture Summit.
Summer 2024: Created a 4-part Arts & Health Webinar Series.
Fall 2024: 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.