Everything

‍Where the music finds you

Guitarist Sergio sings the children's song called, ‘Little Fish in the Water’ for a young patient and her father. The song is known to many Dutch children, but this particular patient and her father do not seem to know it. Without stopping, Sergio switches to an improvisation of the melody in an Arabic scale. The patient and her father smile.

"We try to find out what resonates, without asking too many questions," says Ciska Ruitenberg, who leads Muziekmaatjes (Music Buddies), an Arts in Health program at the Dijklander Hospital in Hoorn. The Muziekmaatjes program started over a year and a half ago at Dijklander, with music twice a week in the Neonatology and Pediatric Outpatient Clinics. Recently, the program has been expanded under the name Muziekmaatjes+ to geriatrics, kidney dialysis, oncology, and neurology.

Playing music for patients is a skill, and the Muziekmaatjes musicians are provided with specialised training from a team of three music therapists. The musicians can play any sort of music that patients might want to hear, but they are also trained to be attentive and flexible, and to 'read the room' as a healthcare worker might. “We are not there to perform,” Ruitenberg says. “We’re there to connect with people through music. And if it isn’t the right moment to play, we withdraw.” 

Dijklander staff pediatrician Dr. Noud Drewes explains that the musicians always ask permission to enter a room. As he describes it, the musicians do not “Thunder into a department to do their thing and then leave", but rather "are very much looking for interpersonal contact, and tuning in to the situation." 

The idea for the Muziekmaatjes program came to Drewes suddenly one evening over a year ago.  He was taking a singing lesson in the community, taught by Ruitenberg. Drewes shared his idea cautiously: "I said something like, 'Wouldn't that be something?'" Ruitenberg immediately saw  inspiration in the idea, and the program’s potential. Soon, the two were scheduling meetings to develop the Muziekmaatjes pilot.

It might be difficult to imagine musicians in a hospital room, until you picture the experience from the perspective of a child and their parents, suddenly confronted with a diagnosis and living with uncertainty about the future, or from that of a patient lying alone in a hospital room, feeling as though the world outside continues without them. The musicians offer each patient a moment that is 100% for the patient. This can humanise the patient’s experience of healthcare. Although scientific research shows that music can contribute to a number of positive health outcomes, Muziekmaatjes was designed simply to help patients feel comfortable and more fully alive in the alienating atmosphere of a hospital. 

When Drewes and Ruitenberg first proposed the program to the hospital, there were skeptics. "Music, fine, as long as it isn't too loud," Drewes recalls one colleague saying. After the first year of Muziekmaatjes, though, his colleagues were convinced. "When employees see that the people in their care are comfortable, smiling, and interacting, it lifts the mood for everyone," Drewes says. 

These days the musicians play for the staff almost as often as the patients, Ruitenberg says, adding that being there every week helps to build relationships with staff. "The musicians and staff have to know what they can expect of one another," Ruitenberg says. "Building that trust takes time."

Looking back on the first year of the program, Drewes sees the role of art in care within the transition currently underway in Dutch healthcare. 21st-century healthcare must encompass more than just the treatment of illness: it must also provide space for prevention and for the well-being of the whole person. For Drewes, Muziekmaatjes helps make that possible. With the program, "I can connect with my patients in a much more human way."

The first year of the Muziekmaatjes program was evaluated in a report created by Arts in Health Groningen. Here you find both the executive summary (ENG) and the full report (NL). The staff at Dijklander Hospital and the musicians were pleased to hear that the program has been extended by two years and expanded to four other departments. Drewes says of Muziekmaatjes: "They are truly part of what we are doing now, and we miss them on their days off."

Back on the pediatric ward, the father and daughter are still smiling while Sergio and the other musician finish their improvised song. The patient and her father ask the musicians to come back tomorrow.

The Muziekmaatjes project brings live music to children and their families at the Dijklander Hospital in Hoorn. Launched in November 2024 as a pilot on the pediatric ward, the programme has expanded to the geriatrics, dialysis, oncology and neurology departments. Specially trained music teachers from Boedijn Music School in Hoorn make music ‘with and for’ children and their families in the wards. 

The music sessions take place twice a week. With advice from staff in the hospital wards, the music and interactions are personalized for each patient. For example, gentle sounds for a newborn, or an upbeat and fun song for an eight-year-old, or a ukulele lesson for a teenager. Throughout, parents are encouraged to join in making music. 

The Muziekmaatjes programme supplements the care provided by medical and nursing staff, supporting the wellbeing of both children and their families. Read more about Muziekmaatjes in an article by the Noordhollands Dagblad.

Project leader Ciska Ruitenberg says that the idea for the programme was already brewing when she participated in the Arts in Health Summer School in 2024. “As a teacher I know how live music can lift the spirits of young people,” she says, “The idea of a hospital pilot program takes that to the next level”. 

An experienced musician and music teacher, Ruitenberg had been in conversation with Dijklander pediatrician Noud Drewes, who wanted to use live music to help his young patients feel more human during treatment and recovery. Working with Drewes and hospital staff, Ruitenberg developed a proposal for the Muziekmaatjes  pilot and submitted it to the VSB fund, which specializes in social domain projects. VSB partnered with Arts in Health Groningen to evaluate the pilot. 

Directed by Arts in Health Groningen science director Ferdinand Lewis, and conducted by research associate Nina van den Berg, the study explored the implementation and outcomes of the Muziekmaatjes pilot, offering recommendations for strengthening the programme and supporting its long-term sustainability.

Read also our interview with Dijklander pediatrician Noud Drewes and Muziekmaatjes project leader Ciska Ruitenberg here.

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Curious about what books are out there in the field of arts in health? Below is a short list of popular and academic books to get you started. These introduce the research, practice, and inspiration for Arts in Health, from authors around the world — from designing interventions to understanding how creativity supports wellbeing. Whether you’re an artist, researcher, healthcare professional, or simply curious about how art and care intersect, these books invite you to explore, learn, and connect. If you have any suggestions for books that should definitely be included, please let us know!

Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Transform Our Health | Daisy Fancourt, 2025 

In her latest book  Daisy Fancourt, presents the latest scientific evidence on how the arts and creativity contribute to health and wellbeing. It explores how engagement with the arts can support mental and physical health outcomes across different clinical contexts, and highlights global challenges faced by the arts sector. Art Cure invites readers to reconsider the role of the arts, not as a luxury, but as an essential part of individual and societal wellbeing. 

I Heard There Was a Secret Chord, Music as Medicine | Daniel J. Levitin, 2024 ‍

In I Heard There Was a Secret Chord, neuroscientist and best-selling author Daniel J. Levitin explores the powerful relationship between music and healing, inviting readers to see music not only as art, but also as a form of care. Levitin draws  on research from neuroscience and music therapy, arguing for how music can ease suffering, promote recovery, and calm the mind. The book  connects scientific findings with stories of the experiences of  musicians and patients, illustrating how rhythm and sound support mental and physical health. A fascinating read for anyone interested in the science and art of music as medicine. 

Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us | Susan Magsamen & Ivy Ross, 2023

Your Brain on Art explores the emerging field of NeuroArts—the study of how the arts and aesthetic experiences can change the body, brain, and behaviour. The authors show how creativity affects our biology and emotions, supporting health, wellbeing, and learning. Through stories from artists and scientists, this book invites readers to see the arts not as a luxury, but as an essential part of being human. Learn more at yourbrainonart.com.

Designing and researching interventions | Daisy Fancourt, 2017 

Authored by one of the leading academics in the field, Designing and Researching Interventions provides a great introduction to the history, research, and practice of Arts in Health. Whether you are building an Arts in Health program, developing a research design, or want to understand the meaning of quality in this field, Designing and Researching Interventions will be a useful guide. 

Arts, Health and Wellbeing | Edited by Stephen Clift and Theo Stickley, 2008

Arts, Health and Wellbeing, offers many useful descriptions and examples from the field of arts in health. The book  covers topics such as arts on prescription and music therapy, for example, exploring their application in both hospital and community settings. If you are a researcher, or a practitioner in the field, or simply looking to learn more about the growing dialogue around arts and health, this book could be a valuable resource. 

Soundtrack voor een beter leven 12 manieren waarop muziek je meer rust, grip en flow geeft | Sanneke Langendoen, 2026

Drawing on scientific research, conversations with experts, and her own personal experiences, Sanneke Langendoen explores how music can support health and wellbeing in everyday life. The book highlights growing evidence showing that music can help reduce stress, improve sleep, support recovery and grief, enhance creativity, and strengthen focus. Combining research with practical insights, Soundtrack voor een beter leven invites readers to use music more intentionally as a tool for resilience, balance, and wellbeing. An accessible read for anyone interested in the connection between music, health, and wellbeing.

What arts in health research looks like

Arts in health is studied from several scientific traditions.

Life sciences research asks what art does for health. For instance, what live music means to a patient recovering from surgery, or what creative movement can offer someone living with dementia.

Social sciences research asks what arts in health means in people's lives. How does a group museum visit shape the way someone with chronic pain experiences that pain? What does joining a choir do for people living with dementia, and for those who care for them? 

Humanities research focuses on reflection and meaning, for example: the role of the artist in care; questions of ethics and aesthetics; and what it means to make art when you are ill or caring for someone you love.

What is already happening

In 2024, the long-term care provider organisation Cordaan, with the Museum van de Geest,   funded a chair of arts in health at the Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management. Later that year, another appointment was established at the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication, focused on Arts & Wellbeing.

Researchers across the Netherlands are working on a national research agenda for the coming decade. The questions driving it: how can programmes survive beyond an initial project phase? How do you make effects visible? And what does arts in health mean for healthcare staff and medical education?

Research in this field is supported by ZonMw, the SPRONG Creating Cultures of Care project, the Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie, Lang Leve Kunst, and Welzijn op Recept.

For researchers
Are you a researcher? Connect with what is already happening in your field, and outside your discipline. Can your expertise catake an existing question further, or open up a new one? Collaborating across disciplines, and connecting research and practice, can make for a richer body of research.

Read more and get involved
A great deal is published internationally on arts in gealth. These resources can help you explore the field further:

• Books about arts in health
• Academical journals 
• Pilot: meet artists in the hospital
• Rapport: next steps in arts in health-network
• Interview: Evidence for the arts in UK public health
• News clip: role of the arts in health

Want to contribute to the development of arts in health research in the Netherlands? The alliance is coming. Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed.

Buur & Boek was a pilot project by NOORDWOORD and Arts in Health Groningen, focused on the joy of shared reading and creative writing. From October 2025 to March 2026, residents from different neighbourhoods and villages across the province of Groningen came together to read, write, talk, and reflect on short stories, poetry and novels. These gatherings took place in five local communities in familiar and accessible places within each neighbourhood. The groups met bi-weekly in the Korrewegwijk, Beijum, Finsterwolde, Noordlaren and Feerwerd. The groups were guided by four workshop leaders who each bring their own unique background and approach to creative reading and writing.

The goal of the project is to use reading and writing to inspire connection and care in the communities, and encouraging new groups to form. No previous literary experience or nor is preparation necessary to join the groups. Participants from a wide variety of backgrounds join in experiencing ‘shared reading’, creative writing, deep listening, and reflective conversations. 

Arts in Health Groningen lead a bi-weekly learning community to support the four group leaders and project coordinator. The learning community involved peer discussion, reflection, planning, and coaching as needed. The group also discussed scientific literature on the health benefits of reading and writing, to inform practice. Self-care was also addressed, and the ethics of community-based work. 

The Buur & Boek sessions created space for community members to meet one another in new ways. Reading and writing become starting points for reflective conversations, deep attention, and sharing inspiration. Along the way, social connections are built or strengthened. “We meet with neighbours to talk about life through literature and poetry,” one of the workshop leaders explains. “We read and talk, and if people wish, also create. Everything is allowed, nothing is required.” Another workshop leader adds, “It is not about having the same opinion, but about daring to speak and to listen.”

The workshop leaders – Charlotte Beerda, Gemma Jissink, Lieke van den Krommenacker and Willemijn van de Walle – each brought their own experience in literature, performance and community-based work. Curious to learn more about who they are and how they work?

At the end of the pilot, the groups came together for four mini-festivals in their own communities, organized by Boer & Boek’ project coordinator.  At the mini-festivals, participants and leaders shared their experience and discoveries. The mini-festivals were all quite different, with activities ranging from interviews with Dutch authors to poetry readings in open fields, poetry walks, and writing haiku in a cowshed. These moments created space to reflect on the conversations, experiences and connections that had developed over the months.

For Arts in Health Groningen, Buur & Boek is part of a broader programme in which the arts are used to support reflection, dialogue and social connection, and in doing so contribute to well-being. By creating spaces where people can meet around shared curiosity and creativity, Buur & Boek contributes to imagination and a sense of community in everyday life.

Participation in Buur & Boek was free of charge. The project ran from October 2025 to March 2026 and was organised by NOORDWOORD in collaboration with Arts in Health Groningen and local partners in the participating communities. The pilot was made possible with support from the Dutch Foundation for Literature (Nederlands Letterenfonds), VSBfonds, Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie, the Municipality of Groningen, the Province of Groningen, the Aletta Jacobs School of Public Health, the University of Groningen, and the National Programme Groningen.

Want to learn more about research literature and well-being?

The effects of reading on wellbeing have been investigated for decades by researchers from the humanities, social sciences and health sciences. Findings suggest that reading is not only a source of knowledge and entertainment, but also contributes to psychological and social health. Reading fiction is often described as a form of mental simulation that exercises social cognition, empathy, and Theory of Mind [1, 2]. These contribute to people's social and psychological wellbeing. For such effects on wellbeing, it is important that people engage with, and reflect on, what they read [3]. Inspired by such research, shared reading programmes have been used to reduce loneliness, start conversations and strengthen the sense of belonging, especially among people from different backgrounds or generations [e.g. 4; 5].

Expressive and reflective writing—such as diaries, short stories, or letters—can improve both mental and physical health as research in psychology and the health sciences highlights [6, 7, 8]. There is even evidence that points to writing reducing depressive [9] and PTS(D) symptoms [10] and that it allows people to better deal with grief [11]. For writing workshops to support wellbeing, it is important to create a trusting environment[12].

References:

1. Dodell-Feder, D., & Tamir, D. I. (2018). Fiction reading has a small positive impact on social cognition: A meta-analysis. Journal of experimental psychology. General, 147(11), 1713–1727. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000395 
2. Oatley K. (2016). Fiction: Simulation of Social Worlds. Trends in cognitive sciences, 20(8), 618–628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2016.06.002 
3. Carney, J., & Robertson, C. (2022). Five studies evaluating the impact on mental health and mood of recalling, reading, and discussing fiction. PLoS ONE, 17(4), e0266323. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0266323
4. Billington, J., Carroll, J., Davis, P., Healey, C., & Kinderman, P. (2013). A literature-based intervention for older people living with dementia. Perspectives in Public Health, 136(3), 139–146. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757913912470052 
5. Longden, E., Davis, P., Carroll, J., Billington, J., & Kinderman, P. (2015). Shared reading: Assessing the intrinsic value of literature. Medical Humanities, 41(2), 113–120. https://doi.org/10.1136/medhum-2015-010704 
6. Valtonen J. (2021). The Health Benefits of Autobiographical Writing: An Interdisciplinary Perspective. The Journal of medical humanities, 42(4), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10912-020-09631-9 
7. Pennebaker, J. W., & Seagal, J. D. (1999). Forming a story: the health benefits of narrative. Journal of clinical psychology, 55(10), 1243–1254. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-4679(199910)55:10<1243::AID-JCLP6>3.0.CO;2-N
8. Toepfer, S. M., & Walker, K. (2009). Letters of gratitude: Improving well-being through expressive writing. Journal of Writing Research, 1(3), 181-198. https://doi.org/10.17239/jowr-2009.01.03.1 
9. Reinhold, M., Bürkner, P.-C., & Holling, H. (2018). Effects of expressive writing on depressive symptoms: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 25, e12224. https://doi.org/10.1111/cpsp.12224
10. Pavlacic, J. M., Buchanan, E. M., Maxwell, N. P., Hopke, T. G., & Schulenberg, S. E. (2019). A meta-analysis of expressive writing on posttraumatic stress, posttraumatic growth, and quality of life. Review of General Psychology, 23(2), 230–250. https://doi.org/10.1177/1089268019831645 
11. Den Elzen, K., Neimeyer, R. A., & Lengelle, R. (Eds.). (2024). Living with loss: From grief to wellbeing (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003460657 
12. Wiltshire, K. (2022). Using the short story as a tool for well-being in arts and health workshops for the NHS staff. Short Fiction in Theory & Practice, 12 (The Health of the Short Story: Part 2), 203–218. https://doi.org/10.1386/fict_00062_1 

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Interest in sustainable arts in health programming is growing in the Netherlands. The increasing number of successful Arts in Health projects is encouraging administrators, funders, governments, researchers, and artists to explore the role that the arts can play in care and illness prevention. 

Arts in Health Netherlands initiated a white paper to survey the current situation and set the agenda for the future. The white paper considers  the structures that are needed in the Netherlands, to systematically support Arts in Health programming, to train practitioners, and to encourage research and policy formulation. The white paper is a first step toward a sustainable arts in health field.

The white paper is:

• Providing a unified statement from science, government, and the private sector on the situation in the Netherlands regarding Arts in Health, and the need for a sustainable field.
• Initiating active networking, knowledge-sharing, and the collaborations required to catalyse the field of Arts in Health in the Netherlands. 
• Setting the agenda for establishing stable, sustainable practice, education, and research in the field of Arts in Health.

Creation Process of the Whitepaper

Arts in Health Netherlands assembled a steering committee of front runners in the field, including representatives from the University of Groningen, Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Landelijk Kennisinstituut Cultuureducatie en Amateurkunst (LKCA).

To create awareness of the initiative and to involve a wider network of partners, the steering committee organized a kick-off meeting at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) in October 2022.

The first draft of the white paper was created by the steering committee and co-authors. That draft served as a focal point for reflection and discussion with a wider national network, gathered in three roundtables in different parts of the country. At each roundtable, participants contributed to discussion and brainstorming on the practice, education, research, and policy of arts in health. 

Participants included healthcare professionals, artists, researchers, policy makers, managers, educators, practitioners and directors, all discussing how to make arts in health a sustainable field in the Netherlands. The roundtables were co-presented by Leyden Academy, Kunstloc Brabant, and University Medical Center Groningen in June and July 2023.

Each of the three roundtables focussed on a different domain;  hospital care, long-term care and the social domain. For impressions of the roundtables conversations, please read the summaries (in Dutch):

• Arts in Health in Long-term Care | Co-hosted by Leyden Academy
• Arts in Health in Social Domain | Co-hosted by Kunstloc Brabant
• Arts in Health in Hospitals | Co-hosted by University Medical Center Groningen

Publication, Launch Event and Handover

More than 200 people contributed to the final version of the white paper.
The publication was designed by the design firm JUST, which also created the Arts in Health Netherlands identity and website. The white paper was published by the University of Groningen Press, and given a public launch at the Care through Creativity event at the Grand Theatre in Groningen on 16 February 2024.  That festive event included  presentations and performances and inspiring examples from practice and research. The national newspaper NRC wrote an article about the event.

At the Care Through Creativity event, the  white paper was officially handed over by the WHO Arts in Health lead, Christopher Bailey, to the Province of Groningen alderman responsible for Arts & Culture, as well as Health & Wellbeing. At a separate event in Den Haag, the white paper was handed over to the director-general of curative care at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) and the director of Heritage & Arts at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW).

The white paper Arts in health in the Netherlands: A national agenda is available via the University of Groningen Press (open access), in both Dutch and English.

Social prescribing is a strategy to help people with health conditions that do not require clinical treatment. A person suffering from grief, loneliness, addiction, or unemployment (for example), can be referred to a trained ‘wellbeing coach’ who helps that person make a personalized plan to engage in activities, events or training with community groups, non-profits, workshops, cultural institutions, and others. Participatory arts practice can be one of the ‘prescriptions’.  

The UK is widely implementing social prescribing programmes, and the Netherlands and other countries are exploring it as well. The Dutch pilot programmes was implemented nationwide with some promising results and encouragement from insurers, primary care physicians, and patients. Read more about the Dutch version of social prescribing within the project Welzijn op Recept.

Social prescribing

• Recognises that a person's health is determined in part by social, economic and environmental factors.
• Approaches health positively, focusing on what a person is able to do, instead of on what they cannot. The person is encouraged to become active in caring for their own wellbeing. 
• Can help build social connections that support a variety of health outcomes.

The social prescribing strategy shows promise for supporting certain arts in health practices in the community. However, that is only one aspect of the field, and does not address the role that arts in health can plan in care institutions, for example.

One of the goals of the National Agenda is to “Develop a diverse and unified field of education and practice”. An action item attached to that goal is to build ‘consensus on a common terminology’ for the arts in health field. To that end, we offer a set of glossary terms. Note that many of these terms have quite different implications or meanings in different sub-areas of arts in health. This list is offered as a starting point for developing a common terminology.  ‍

Administrators - These are the directors or managers of programmes, organisations, and institutions that have a health interest. Administrators could come from the private sector, though most often they are in public-focused institutions and organisations.  

AiH continuum of practices - This refers to the diversity of practices that make up the field of arts in health, all of which focus on care and support for wellbeing. This includes participatory arts, arts therapy, design for health, and others. 

Arts in health - The use of creative art-making to support health and wellbeing. 

Bedside art-making - Facilitating active art-making with patients with patients who are in bed, in care facilities. This can be either a non-therapeutic participatory activity, or a creative arts therapeutic intervention. The term distinguishes this type of practice from staff-focused art-making, and community-based arts in health, and others. 

Care - This important term refers to the support for a person’s wellbeing that is provided or supported by arts in health practice. Care is the characteristic distinguishing arts in health from other types of arts activities. In creative arts therapies, care can focus on treatment and predictable health outcomes, whereas in participatory arts in health, care focuses more on general support for wellbeing or supporting care by some other provider. Care is delivered not only in the creative practice, but also in the ethics and professionalism of the practitioner. 

Care aesthetics - The study of the aesthetic aspects of care. 

Compassion fatigue - Emotional and/or physical exhaustion experienced by formal and informal caregivers leading to diminished ability to empathise, inability to work, depression and other negative health outcomes. 

Community-based arts - Arts activities based in community settings, most often projects and programmes directly involving community members. 

Creative expression - The use of various art forms to express oneself creatively, sometimes used in describing arts support for mental and emotional wellbeing.

Creative arts therapies - Art-making as a medium for healing and self-expression, practiced by licensed therapists with specialised therapeutic training. 

Cultural participation - Community participation in cultural activities, for example attending concerts or festivals, museums, community events, as well as participation in amateur art-making. 

Cultural programmes in long-term care - Arts and cultural activities designed to enhance the quality of life of residents in long-term care.

Ethical and care protocols - Guidelines and standards for ethical behavior and care practices in care settings. These are likely different depending on whether the professional is doing participatory arts or arts therapies.   ‍

Expressive or creative movement - Similar to dance, these are movement-based arts activities supporting health and wellbeing.

Funders - These may include governments at any level, institutions (for example schools, insurers, etc.) and organisations (e.g., non-profits or community organisations). Funders include some private sector organisations (health insurers, for instance) as well as the public sector. 

Intersectoral collaboration - Efforts between public institutions (healthcare, arts education, etc.) to achieve common goals. May take the form of projects, programmes, or policies to address issues and pursue goals across social sectors, for example the arts and healthcare. 

Medical humanities - An interdisciplinary humanities field (arts, literature, philosophy, etc.) in medical education and practice.

Participatory arts - In AiH practice, activities that actively involve both participants and artists in art-making. Participatory practice also has implications for the inclusion of marginalised people.

Patient activation - Encouraging patients to engage actively in their own wellbeing and health care.

Person-centred care - Healthcare that focuses on the individual's specific health needs and desired health outcomes.

Positive health - A health concept that emphasizes the ability to adapt and self-manage in the face of social, physical, and emotional challenges.

Practitioners - Arts in health practitioners are skilled in using arts practices to support wellbeing. Practitioners build participation in art-making, working with participants who have no experience in art-making, or helping people who want to make art at higher levels of skill. 

Resilience - The ability to resist illness or harm, and/or the capacity to recover from illness or harm. Resilience can be applied to individual wellbeing, or to groups, places, or populations. 

Resources - This might refer to person hours, money, useful physical things like office space or equipment, but also experience, ideas, useful documents, databases, etc. 

Science - This term refers to existing and recent literature, most often in peer-reviewed journals. The terms could refer to health sciences research, but also social sciences, and also humanities research.

Scientific research - This most often refers to the production of new knowledge, and peer-reviewed publications. The term ‘research’ is technically appropriate to describe programme evaluation, though in practicethis can be confusing.   

Social inclusion - Activities in support of including marginalised individuals or groups.

Spiritual care - A holistic, person-centred approach to care, allied with arts in health, that supports psychological, social, and existential wellbeing.

Support for caregivers - Arts in health strategies aimed at providing relief and support to both formal and informal caregivers.

Support for care recipients - Arts activities aimed at improving the wellbeing of individuals receiving care, in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home care.  

Therapeutic goals - Specific health outcomes that are goals in creative arts therapies. 

Value-based healthcare - An economic model of healthcare delivery that attempts to shift the value of healthcare from the healthcare provider to the patient, emphasizing outcomes and patient satisfaction as goals.

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This episode of The Health Curve Podcast explores the connection between art, creativity, the brain, and health. Host Dr. Jason Arora is joined by Susan Magsamen, a researcher and educator specialising in the relationship between the arts and the brain; Ruth Katz, a health policy expert focused on health, medicine, and society; and Sarah Lyding, President of The Music Man Foundation, which supports the use of music and the arts to improve health and wellbeing. Together, they discuss how music, movement, storytelling, and creative expression can influence brain function, reduce stress, support emotional wellbeing, and contribute to recovery. From dance and Parkinson’s to music and Alzheimer’s, the growing field of NeuroArts is turning something many of us intuitively feel into an area of scientific research. The conversation also asks a bigger question: what if the arts are not simply a luxury, but an essential part of health and wellbeing?

Listen to the episode

KoffieCo | Koffie bij de coassistent is de podcast voor en door studenten Medische Wetenschappen van het UMC Utrecht.

Gewapend met een kop koffie gaan coassistenten Tessa, Tiara en Doris het hele land door om artsen te interviewen. In deze aflevering gaan ze in gesprek met Daphne Voormolen, foetaal geneeskundige en groot kunstliefhebber, over de door haar zelf opgezette Stichting Kunst Salon en haar boodschap over hoe waardevol het is om de link te leggen tussen gezondheidszorg en de culturele sector en kunst in te zetten voor het medisch onderwijs, behandeling en gezondheid en welzijn in het algemeen.

Aflevering 127: Kunst in de zorg

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Podcastserie Amsterdam UMC | Waarom kunst in het ziekenhuis?  
9 afleveringen

Waarom raakt een kunstwerk je als je in het ziekenhuis bent, kan een gedicht je tot tranen roeren, troost muziek of roept een verhaal fijne herinneringen op? Word je een betere dokter als je naar kunst kijkt? Waarom wil een kunstenaar graag een werk voor het ziekenhuis maken? En waarom betrekken wetenschappers kunst in hun onderzoek? Ook na een lange loopbaan als curator in het Amsterdam UMC kon Sabrina Kamstra lang niet al die vragen zelf beantwoorden. Daarom vroeg ze patiënten, kunstenaars, curatoren, artsen, wetenschappers en studenten te reageren vanuit hun eigen invalshoek en achtergrond. Dit monde uit in het boek Waarom kunst in het ziekenhuis? met essays van verschillende auteurs en hun reflecties in de gelijknamige podcastserie.

In deze podcastserie komen patiënten, medewerkers, bezoekers en kunstenaars aan het woord. De geselecteerde kunstenaars hebben allen in opdracht een werk voor het Amsterdam UMC gemaakt.

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London Arts and Health | 6 episodes on social prescribing
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The series from London Arts and Health uncovers arts in health practices across the city of London, speaking to practitioners, funders, artists and participants about how they are working and benefitting from arts and health. The podcast has been created to celebrate the launch of the Arts and Culture: Social Prescribing Myth Buster. The myth buster aims to help everyone understand the role of arts and culture in social prescribing.

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The Arts for the Health of it podcast features more than 90 episodes.

Why do humans turn to the arts in times of crisis? How do the arts impact our health and well-being? What role do the arts play in the future of society?
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Hosts Catherine Particini and Andrea Sanderson (VOCAB) help you integrate the arts into everyday health and wellness practices through information, tips, how-to’s, and expert-led interviews on the subject.

The show explores the role of the arts in society, with special attention to the function of the arts in wellbeing. In one episode you might hear a lighthearted discussion about the health benefits of laughter; another introduces you to a local programme that brings artists together for community projects. Especially if you want to learn more about projects in America, or you are interested in the workings of ‘arts on prescription’ programmes for instance, then this show is for you!

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Creative Health Stories | 20 episodes

This series conveys what ‘creative health’ means to different people and in different contexts; how creativity helps to keep us well at a general, preventative level and how it supports chronic and long term health conditions. It highlights creative practices – professional, amateur and those we can do at home – which are helping to keep us well, and what needs to happen so that creativity, the arts and culture are more widely accessible.

This podcast series consists of interviews with professionals and scholars about their arts in health projects, findings, and experiences. The series also takes on the larger policy and ethical issues of arts in health, for example during the July 2024 episode in which Sir Michael Marmot was interviewed. Sir Michael discussed his work on the social determinants of health, and explains his argument that health equality requires creativity be available to everyone.

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Kunststof aflevering - NTR - NPO Radio 1
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Neuroloog en expert op het gebied van de ziekte van Parkinson, Bas Bloem, gaat in gesprek met hoogleraar ouderenparticipatie, Tineke Abma, over de heilzame werking van kunst op onze gezondheid. Het onderzoek naar kunst-als-medicijn heeft de laatste jaren een enorme boost gekregen. Nu is het volgens Abma tijd om kunst een veel grotere plek toe te kennen in de medische opleiding, in de spreekkamer en in zorginstellingen. Maar hoe?

Kunststof aflevering

Do arts interventions and creative engagement really make a difference in our lives and our brains? Recently, Susan Magsamen, the author of Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, and Director of The International Arts and Mind Lab at John Hopkins University School of Medicine, was interviewed to discuss this exact question.

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This episode of When Science Finds a Way explores the science behind the arts as a tool for wellbeing, from research on singing to lived stories of healing and empowerment. In 40 minutes, we hear from leading scholar Daisy Fancourt, from a mother who participated in Breathe Melodies for Mums, and from the ever-inspiring artist Kunle Adewale. 

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The Evidence Behind Creative Health

Change within the health system is not possible without the buy-in of members of the public. This TEDx talk explores how the arts can improve physical and mental health, how engaging in creative activities can help you live longer, and how everybody is an artist.

Jane Hearst is the Research and Policy Manager at the National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH) in the UK, where she advocates for the role of arts and creativity in healthcare. Her work involves responding to NHS and Government evidence calls and supporting health systems in developing research based  strategies.

In this talk, she explores the evidence behind Creative Health and asks a simple but important question: if creativity can help us stay well, why do we so rarely think of it as part of our health toolkit? Combining research, storytelling and a challenge to rethink what counts as a health behaviour. Bringing the conversation to a wider public is important, because "Without you, the culture of health will not change."

In this documentary, healthcare professionals, artists, researchers and organisations share how the arts contribute to health and wellbeing in practice. The film explores how Arts in Health brings together healthcare, wellbeing and culture at a local level.

More than thirty years of international research shows that the arts can contribute to health and wellbeing. It can help prevent illness, strengthen social connection and improve quality of life.

More information: Why arts in health matters

This short and informative video from the UK discusses several arts in health projects, and research about the relationship between singing and mental wellbeing. The video features the experience of people with Parkinson’s disease who are part of a project that brings them on museum visits. The video includes clips from a music and movement workshop for people with Parkinson’s. We see them singing and dancing, and exploring what they can do rather than what illness prevents them from doing.

In this TEDx talk, Jill Sonke explores the relationship between creativity and care. As a practitioner, and current Director of the Center for Arts in Medicine at the University of Florida, Sonke brings nearly three decades of experience to describing the impact of artistic expression on wellbeing. Using many engaging examples, she masterfully lays out the case for the introduction of the arts in healthcare. Dancing, live-music, and powerful anecdotes are followed up by straightforward summaries of the evidence for arts in health.

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This BBC News report interviews a patient at the Bethlem Royal Hospital psychiatric institution, about the art collection made by patients. The interviewee explores how drawing helps the patient to express themselves, and even points the way toward the end of treatment. "What arts does is give somebody free reign just to go into themselves and say this is what's like for me".

The Bethlem Royal Hospital continues to use art-making activities and hosts its own art gallery now too. The art gallery connects professional artists with patients and patients with art.

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One critique of arts in health research is that study sample sizes are too small, and so cannot represent a broader population. In this video, Daisy Fancourt, a leading scholar in the field, discusses her large-scale quantitative study of a range of effects of arts engagement on wellbeing. Her team’s longitudinal analysis of national data showed improved mental, physical and cognitive outcomes.