Art can help keep us well. It can aid our recovery from illness and support longer lives, better lived.*

From GP waiting rooms to hospital wards, our surroundings have an impact on the way we think and feel. Art can transform cold, clinical environments into welcoming public spaces that encourage, enrich and empower everyone who uses them.

There is a large amount of evidence showing that art can improve our health and wellbeing. A recent report by an all-party parliamentary group said that art can help meet challenges in health and social care around ageing, loneliness, long-term conditions and mental health. It also said that art can help save the care sector money.

Other recent research has shown that art can:

  • Ease anxiety, stress and depression for both patients and care staff
  • Shorten patients’ length of stay in hospital
  • Reduce patients' need for painkilling medications
  • Improve communication between patients and carers†

We think everyone should have the chance to experience these benefits. That's why we're dedicated to bringing art to people through our artwork loans and art activities.

Find our more about the impact of our work...

*All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing Inquiry Report, Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing, July 2017.
†R. Staricoff, A Study of The Effects of The Visual and Performing Arts in Healthcare, 2003.