July 3, 2022—Ten years ago, Americans for the Arts advocated for strengthening our nation’s health through the arts. The organization wrote the following in a 2012 Legislative Issue Brief:

Arts in health, healing, and wellness is a growing policy imperative and national need that is driven by several factors. In the United States, there is an aging population requiring significant long-term healthcare solutions coupled with unprecedented number of service members returning home with severe physical and psychological injuries. The Affordable Care Act is currently inspiring public debate in these areas. The end goal of incorporating the arts into health and healthcare is to provide quality, cost-effective services that achieve positive outcomes for patients, families, and caregivers.”

Arts in Health—Strengthening our Nation’s Health through the Arts

In the wake of  the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, initiatives like this are more important than ever.

One sector of the community that is often overlooked is military veterans and their families. My friend and colleague, John Haworth, recently wrote an informative and thought-provoking post on the ways the arts are serving this community, along with the related issues and challenges. I urge the readers Arts & Culture Connections to check out John’s post at this link.

After you read the post, consider the following questions: Who are the overlooked groups of people within your community that could benefit from connection and engagement with arts programs? What steps will you take to reach out to them?

You can find White Papers written about the initiative to help military veterans and their families at this link. And learn more about VETART, an important organization helping veterans connect with the arts at this link.

I invite you to share your thoughts and comments below.