New Field Guide Shows How Arts Can Lead to Better Health

The University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine released a guide this week for healthcare practitioners, insurance companies, and community organizations on how to integrate arts, culture, and nature into referral programs, a concept within a social prescribing model known as arts on prescription. 

“Arts on Prescription: A Field Guide for U.S. Communities,” developed in partnership with Mass Cultural Council, offers a roadmap for “prescribing” creative activities like art classes, dance lessons, and visits to museums, gardens, and theaters to support and improve a patient’s health, well-being, and quality of life.

“As overburdened primary care providers struggle to meet patients’ needs, community activities like these show promise to boost well-being and prevent the onset of disease,” says Jill Sonke, UF Arts in Medicine research director and associate professor in UF’s College of the Arts. “In one US pilot, these prescriptions are covered by a regional insurance provider.”

The evidence-based field guide is the first how-to manual for communities eager to engage the arts and cultural resources in efforts to improve collective health.

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