Arts & Health
Rhode Island State Council on the Arts works across sectors to promote the essential value of the arts to strengthen individual and community health and well-being. Through grants, education, convening, and programming, we support integration of arts-driven strategies into health and public health practice and policy.
Building on RISCA’s established record of leading and supporting work at the intersection of arts and health, and honoring our mission to “ensure that arts and culture will play an ever more significant part in the well-being and experience of all Rhode Island residents,” RISCA adopted 3 key goals in 2025 that will drive the next phase of the agency’s arts and health agenda:
- Improve individual and community health in Rhode Island through art-driven strategies
- Strengthen Rhode Island’s Arts and Health Infrastructure
- Increase awareness of the value and necessity of arts for health and well-being
Current and past partners in this work include Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging, Office of Health and Human Services, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and RISD Museum of Art.
To stay connected with the Arts and Health community, join the Rhode Island Arts and Health Network email list. https://forms.office.com/g/8DfyzDVQsd
In 1946, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” (From Absence to Presence: Arts and Culture Help Us Redefine “Health”)
A robust body of research links arts participation to these positive health outcomes, demonstrating that the arts can improve the social, emotional, physical, and psychological well-being of individuals while also addressing the social determinants of health: the non-medical factors that impact well-being. In addition, evidence shows that the arts enhance social cohesion and belonging, reducing the significant health risks posed by social isolation and loneliness.
- RISCA’s Arts and Health Grant: Read more about the grant opportunity here: Arts and Health Grant | RISCA
- RISCA’s Arts and Health Incubator Grant: Read more about this new grant opportunity in 2026 here: Arts and Health Incubator Grant | RISCA.
- Public Health Artist in Residence Program Framework (2024): Drawing from insights gained through our partnership with the R.I. Department of Health (RIDOH), RISCA published the Framework for Public Health Artist in Residence Program. Referencing field research and other program models, the framework provides a guide on how to form partnerships between health agencies, artists, and community partners to advance health goals and contribute to vibrant communities. To learn more, download the Framework: https://arts.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur946/files/2024-10/RISCA_Art-Health_Artist%20in%20Residence%20Framework_2024_FINAL.pdf
- Rhode Island Arts and Health State Plan (2019): A public health roadmap for advancing the work through thirteen policy, practice, and research recommendations that align with the state’s 23 population health goals. Includes Five Focus areas: Patient Care, Healing Environments, Caring for Caregivers, Education, Community well-being. (View or Download State Plan)
- Arts and Health Network YouTube Video (2019): To learn more about the Rhode Island Arts and Health Initiative, watch the Arts and Health Network YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmG3r5sdvtg&feature=youtu.be.
- In Conversation: Arts and Health series (2022): Conversation series with artists, creatives, health professionals, and other innovators who believe in the power of the arts to engage communities and improve well-being. Each event opened with a presentation, followed by open conversation and networking or a field trip into the community. Virtual and in person free events. Watch past conversations: Arts and Health on YouTube.
- Arts and Health Artist in Residence program (2019, 2022): Embedded an artist within a state health agency to foster creative arts-based approaches and innovation around specific health goals. With an emphasis on process, the artistic experience fostered innovative problem solving and built trust-based relationships to advance health priorities. It focused on co-creating, based on listening and learning from and about the needs of the community.
- Jazzmen Lee-Johnson (2019) - Visual artist, scholar, composer and curator. Project Partners: Refugee Health Program, Southside Community Land Trust, RIDOH Asthma Control Program.
- Melody Gamba (2022) - Dance artist, educator, licensed mental health counselor and board-certified dance-movement psychotherapist. Project Partners: Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Parent Support Network of RI, Dorcas International.
Connecting the community and building the field of arts and health.
- Design Sprint with the RISD Center for Complexity (2020): Explored what a Center for Arts and Health might look like in Rhode Island. (View or download RIAHN Report)
- Artist at the Table (2020): An online course, facilitated by Dr. Stacey Springs, to support artists working in arts and health to better understand research, and how it might serve their own work to build the field.
- Evidence Research Map (2019): Prepared by Dr. Stacey Springs, Center for Evidence Synthesis in Health Brown University School of Public Health, in collaboration with the community Arts and Health Advisory Group.
- Rhode Island Arts and Health State Plan (2019): A public health roadmap for advancing the work through thirteen policy, practice, and research recommendations that align with the state’s 23 population health goals. Includes Five Focus areas: Patient Care, Healing Environments, Caring for Caregivers, Education, Community Well-being. (View or download State Plan)
- Arts and Health Advisory Group (2016): A cross-sector group convened jointly by RISCA and RIDOH to learn and share ideas around the intersection of arts and health and to support development of the RI State Arts and Health Plan.
RISCA partnered with the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) in 2016 Health to investigate how the arts can positively impact health and work in concert with clinical practices. An arts and health planning process guided by a 25-member community advisory group and Dr. Stacey Springs convened to look at current evidence and gaps in evidence in the field of arts and health. The result was the Rhode Island State Plan for Arts and Health, and the formation of the R.I. Arts and Health Partnership with RISCA and RIDOH serving as the co-leads on the Arts and Health initiative. A community-based Arts and Health Steering Committee was formed to help guide the work moving forward from that point. The steering committee served until 2020.