Arts in public
health framework

All Futures Are Real Right Now by Jason Killinge

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ARTS AND CULTURE IN PUBLIC HEALTH

An Evidence-Based Framework

An increasing focus on health equity in public health highlights the need for approaches and interventions that not only support individuals' health but that also address upstream drivers of health outcomes: structures, systems, environments, policies. Such interventions require innovative, collaborative efforts that (a) are responsive to culture, lived experience, and community assets; and (b) support health and well-being at multiple levels of the social ecological model.

ARTS AND CULTURE

As a sector, arts and culture offers rich ground for precisely such collaboration and innovation.

The arts have been shown to influence six broad areas of individual- and population-level health. This framework highlights each of these areas, and identifies outcomes that can be enhanced through arts and cultural approaches, and the mechanisms that mediate or moderate these outcomes.

Grounded in the Social Ecological model, this framework builds on the Creating Healthy Communities through Cross-Sector Collaboration white paper—which is informed by 250 thought leaders in the public health, arts and culture, and community development sectors. It draws on the social ecological model, the Overarching Goals of Healthy People 2030, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Culture of Health Action Framework to illuminate evidence-based links between arts exposure and participation and multiple health outcomes.

1. Provide direct health benefits

2. Increase health service equity and access

3. Create safe, inclusive, and engaging environments

4. Support social, cultural, and policy change

5. Enrich research methods and practices

6. Strengthen health communication

THE FRAMEWORK INFORMS 7 GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION

- Co-locate health and social services with arts and cultural activity

- Partner with arts organizations and artists on design and implementation of interventions

- Hire local artists to work on research teams, from design to dissemination

- Look to existing local art and cultural artifacts for answers to research questions

- Co-develop priority and core outcomes for cross-sector work 

- Coordinate joint convenings at the local, state, and national levels

- Advocate for inclusion of arts and culture in Healthy People 2040. 

You are not forgotten by Lisa Kelley.

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Suggested citation: Sonke, J. & Golden, T. (2020). Arts and Culture in Public Health: An Evidence-Based Framework. University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine. .