The current wealth of research illustrates the benefits of art in healthcare for service users, staff and visitors, right across the spectrum of arts and health and includes recognition of the role that the arts play in the improvement in clinical and therapeutic outcomes. Research also demonstrates how the arts can help users to express, contain and transform distress and disturbance and how the arts help to create a less stressful clinical environment. The arts in this context has also been proved to increase the understanding between clinicians and the people for whom they care, to aid better public health, to develop and deliver more patient-focused services, and to improve the ‘healthcare’ experience for all.

The idea that art and design can assist recovery is not a new one, as artists have been commissioned to make work for hospitals since medieval times. In 1859 Florence Nightingale in ‘Notes on Nursing’ stated that ‘variety of form and brilliancy of colour in the objects presented to patients can have a powerful effect and are actual means of recovery’.

At its heart, work involving the arts and health is about shaping and delivering high-quality clinical care that is focused on the needs of patients and service users whilst positively encouraging distraction and discussion.

It is important to note that arts programmes are not funded from medical resources. Funding is usually sought from charitable trusts, arts councils, lottery funds, business and private donations. Please see Funders for additional information.