Guest Blog Post: National Organization for Arts in Health (NOAH)
Advancing Arts in Health: How NOAH Is Shaping a Healthier Future
From hospitals and clinics to community centers, museums, and universities, arts in health is changing the way we think about health and wellbeing. Every day, artists, healthcare professionals, educators, researchers, and community leaders use the arts to support healing, improve patient and caregiver experiences, strengthen communities, and promote overall wellbeing. As the field continues to grow, so does the need for a national organization that brings these voices together, supports professional growth, and helps move the field forward. That's where the National Organization for Arts in Health (NOAH) comes in. As the national hub for arts in health, NOAH connects people, shares knowledge, and advocates for the essential role of the arts in health, bringing the field together to strengthen the profession and shape its future.
Founded in 2016, with roots dating back to 1989, NOAH carries forward a decades-long legacy of advancing arts in health. Building on the work of several predecessor organizations, NOAH was established to provide a unified national home for a growing and evolving field. Today, NOAH connects more than 700 individual and organizational members across the United States and around the world, creating opportunities to learn, collaborate, and strengthen the profession. By creating spaces where researchers, practitioners, artists, educators, and advocates can learn from one another, NOAH helps transform individual expertise into collective progress for the field.
The NeuroArts Resource Center and NOAH share a common goal: advancing the understanding and impact of the arts on health and wellbeing. NOAH contributes by building a vibrant professional community where artists, healthcare professionals, researchers, educators, students, and advocates can connect, learn from one another, and turn emerging ideas into meaningful practice. Through education, networking, advocacy, and year-round programming, NOAH helps foster the collaboration needed to move the field forward.
Throughout the year, NOAH creates opportunities for professionals to learn from one another, build connections, and strengthen the field together. Members have access to a curated library of arts in health resources, job postings, funding opportunities, leadership development, field news, educational programming, and a growing network of peers working across healthcare, the arts, education, and research. To further support professionalization, NOAH also develops publications such as the Advancing Practice series and the Code of Ethics for Artists & Arts Administrators in Healthcare and Community Settings, providing practitioners with career pathways, best practices, and ethical frameworks that strengthen the field. Beyond these resources, signature initiatives bring the community together in meaningful ways. NOAHCON On the Road extends learning through a virtual educational series, The NOAH Exchange fosters peer connections through facilitated networking, and the Member Meetup Mini-Grant Program empowers members to build community in their own regions. Together, these programs create year-round opportunities for learning, collaboration, and innovation that continue to advance the field of arts in health.
At the heart of these efforts is NOAHCON, the organization's annual conference and the premier gathering for the arts in health community. More than a conference, NOAHCON is where hundreds of attendees from across the arts in health community come together to exchange ideas, share emerging research, build lasting partnerships, and explore innovative practices shaping the future of the field.
NOAHCON 26, taking place October 11–13, 2026, in Rochester, New York, in partnership with the Eastman Performing Arts Medicine Center at the University of Rochester, continues that tradition. Participants can expect inspiring keynote speakers, educational sessions, networking events, hands-on workshops, and opportunities to connect across disciplines. A virtual convening on October 28, 2026, extends these conversations to participants around the globe.
This year's conference will also serve as the launchpad for the first U.S. Arts in Health Census, a landmark national research initiative led by the U.S. Arts in Health Census Research Team. By engaging 2,000 people working, volunteering, researching, funding, or participating in arts in health across the United States, the Census will lay the foundation for the first comprehensive national State of the Field Report, documenting the workforce, funding, practices, and future of arts in health.
With NOAHCON 26 approaching, now is an ideal time to become part of the conversation. Registration is open for attendees who are committed to advancing arts in health through learning, collaboration, and innovation. Those looking to deepen their engagement can also support the conference through sponsorship opportunities. Whether you're exploring membership, attending your first conference, or looking for ways to contribute to the field, NOAH offers opportunities to connect, learn, and grow throughout the year.
The future of arts in health depends on strong partnerships, continued research, and a vibrant professional community committed to learning from one another. By connecting people across disciplines and creating opportunities for ideas to become action, NOAH is helping shape a healthier future where the arts are recognized as an essential part of health and wellbeing. We invite you to join us as we continue advancing the field together.
To learn more about NOAH, explore membership, or register for NOAHCON 26, visit thenoah.org.
