Arts in Healthcare

Arts in healthcare is a diverse, multidisciplinary field dedicated to transforming the healthcare experience by connecting people with the power of the arts at key moments in their lives. This rapidly growing field integrates the arts, including literary, performing, and visual arts and design, into a wide variety of healthcare and community settings for therapeutic, educational, and expressive purposes.

National Resources

Society for the Arts in Healthcare

The Society for the Arts in Healthcare is dedicated to advancing the arts as integral to healthcare by:

• Demonstrating the valuable roles the arts can play in enhancing the healing process
• Advocating for the integration of the arts into the environment and delivery of care within healthcare facilities
• Assisting in the professional development and management of arts programming for healthcare populations
• Providing resources and education to healthcare and arts professionals
• Encouraging and supporting research and investigation into the beneficial effects of the arts in healthcare

Florida Resources

University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine

University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine is committed to advancing research, education, and practice in the arts in healthcare, locally and globally.

Shands Arts in Medicine

Shands Arts in Medicine (AIM) was founded in 1990 at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida. AIM is a multidisciplinary organization, with programs in the visual, literary, musical, and performance arts. AIM serves inpatients and outpatients of all ages, their families, visitors, health care providers, the Gainesville and statewide communities. The program is focused on transforming healthcare environments through the arts, and providing leadership for hospital arts programs throughout the nation.

Weems Memorial Arts in Medicine

The Weems Memorial Arts in Medicine program was founded in 2009 through a partnership grant with the University of Florida Arts in Medicine (AIM) program at Shands Hospital and the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs. Weems AIM is a multidisciplinary organization, with programs in the visual, literary, musical and performance arts. Like the Shands program, the Weems Arts in Medicine Program is focused on transforming healthcare environments through the arts, and providing leadership for arts in healthcare through-out Franklin County.

Arts in Healthcare for Rural Communities Toolkit

The Arts in Healthcare for Rural Communities Toolkit is designed to provide resources for the development of arts in healthcare programs and projects that address health disparities and support individual/community health in rural communities.

Arts in Healthcare: State of the Field Report 2009

The State of the Field Report offers information about progress in the field since the symposium, which resulted in recommendations and a strategic direction to advance the arts in healthcare.