A Guide to Promoting Statewide Strategies in the Arts and Health

This guide, developed by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), examines how state arts agencies can lead and expand arts and health initiatives. Drawing from a year-long national learning collaborative involving more than 70 leaders across 36+ states and regions, the report showcases emerging practices, research, policy developments, and recommendations for building sustainable statewide arts and health ecosystems.



Key Focus Areas

Arts on Prescription
- Explores statewide models that connect healthcare providers with community arts experiences as part of patient care.
- Highlights innovative programs in states including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, Wisconsin, New Jersey, and Maine.
- Examines sustainable funding opportunities through healthcare reimbursement, public health investment, and opioid settlement funds.

Healthy Aging Through the Arts
- Demonstrates how arts participation supports cognitive health, emotional well-being, social connection, and quality of life for older adults.
- Features creative aging initiatives, research partnerships, and statewide programs across multiple states.
- Discusses strategies for expanding arts programming within aging services, libraries, senior centers, and healthcare settings.

Veterans and Military Communities
- Highlights arts-based programs supporting veterans, active-duty military personnel, caregivers, and military families.
- Reviews successful partnerships with the NEA's Creative Forces initiative and state-led programs.
- Emphasizes trauma-informed programming, workforce training, and community-based healing through the arts.

Cross-Sector Partnerships
- Showcases collaborations between state arts agencies, public health departments, hospitals, universities, insurers, and community organizations.
- Presents examples of statewide infrastructure supporting arts and health integration.
- Illustrates how partnerships strengthen program sustainability, reach, and public investment.

Research, Evaluation, and Policy
- Reviews the growing scientific evidence linking arts engagement with improved physical, mental, cognitive, and social health outcomes.
- Highlights emerging state legislation, policy innovation, and evaluation strategies.
- Discusses the importance of shared metrics, rigorous evaluation, and data-driven advocacy for long-term investment.




Statewide Examples
The report features case studies from numerous states—including Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Washington, Colorado, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Indiana, Montana, South Carolina, Vermont, New Hampshire, and others—illustrating a wide range of successful arts and health initiatives that can serve as models for future implementation.

Major Recommendations
The report concludes with practical recommendations to strengthen the field by:
Expanding the trained arts and health workforce.
Developing shared evaluation frameworks and outcome measures.
Diversifying sustainable funding sources.
Building partnerships with academic medical centers.
Increasing access for underserved and rural communities.
Advancing supportive public policy and legislative investment.



Overall Takeaway
The report argues that state arts agencies are uniquely positioned to lead large-scale arts and health initiatives because of their statewide reach, public infrastructure, grant-making capacity, and cross-sector partnerships. By combining evidence-based practice, public policy, healthcare collaboration, and community engagement, the guide provides a roadmap for integrating the arts as a core component of health promotion and community well-being across the United States.