Neuroarts: Can Art and Creativity Heal You? | Susan Magsamen, Ruth Katz, & Sarah Lyding
June 23rd, 2026
This episode of The Health Curve Podcast explores a powerful idea at the intersection of science, culture, and health: that music, art, movement, storytelling, and creative expression don’t just enrich life. They can actively shape our brains, our mental health, and even our physical well-being.
Posted byCherry Ng
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Abstract/Description
Host Dr. Jason Arora is joined by Susan Magsamen, co-director of the NeuroArts Blueprint Initiative, Executive Director of the Johns Hopkins International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics, and co-author of the New York Times bestseller Your Brain on Art; Ruth Katz, co-director of the NeuroArts Blueprint Initiative and Executive Director of the Health, Medicine and Society Program at the Aspen Institute; and Sarah Lyding, President of the Music Man Foundation, which has invested more than $25 million in using music and the arts to drive social and health impact.
Together, they break down how engaging with the arts can influence brain function, stress, emotional regulation, connection, and recovery. From Parkinson’s disease and dance, to music and Alzheimer’s, to trauma, youth mental health, and community healing, this is a field that’s rapidly moving from intuition to evidence.
But this conversation goes beyond science.
They ask a bigger question: what if the arts aren’t a luxury, but a core pillar of health?
They also explore why this field is only now gaining traction, how initiatives like the NeuroArts Blueprint are pushing for research and policy change, and what it would take to bring creativity into mainstream healthcare, education, and everyday life.
If you’ve ever felt better after listening to music, writing, moving, or creating something, this episode explains why that matters more than you think.
Together, they break down how engaging with the arts can influence brain function, stress, emotional regulation, connection, and recovery. From Parkinson’s disease and dance, to music and Alzheimer’s, to trauma, youth mental health, and community healing, this is a field that’s rapidly moving from intuition to evidence.
But this conversation goes beyond science.
They ask a bigger question: what if the arts aren’t a luxury, but a core pillar of health?
They also explore why this field is only now gaining traction, how initiatives like the NeuroArts Blueprint are pushing for research and policy change, and what it would take to bring creativity into mainstream healthcare, education, and everyday life.
If you’ve ever felt better after listening to music, writing, moving, or creating something, this episode explains why that matters more than you think.
