Healing through Creativity: Bridging Care Gaps with Arts-Based Prescriptions

It is beginning to be widely accepted that the arts and connection are essential to one’s health and well-being. The National Endowment for the Arts’ research documents that the benefits art has on health and well-being are experienced at all stages of life and on multiple levels. There is solid evidence as well that “art can work hand in hand with traditional medicine to improve mobility, memory, and speech; relieve pain and the after-effects of trauma; enhance mental health and learning outcomes; build resilience; and prevent disease."

However, traditional medicine and mental health services often leave gaps in care, particularly for populations experiencing barriers to access, cultural stigma, or a preference for non-clinical interventions. A solution to bridge that gap is social prescribing, which allows healthcare professionals to prescribe doses of artistic and cultural experiences to patients. 

The Maryland State Arts Council has contracted with SocialRx (formerly Art Pharmacy) to establish an arts prescribing program in Maryland. Join MPN’s Arts and Health Funders Affinity Groups to learn more about social prescribing, the work plan for Maryland, and how it will benefit arts and cultural organizations as well as residents. We’ll also learn the perspective of a San Diego-based funder about their involved in this work.

Our speakers will include:
•    Chris Appleton, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, SocialRx
•    Matt D'Arrigo, Clare Rose Foundation
•    Steven Skerritt-Davis, Executive Director, Maryland State Arts Council

This program is for Maryland Philanthropy Network members and invited funders only.

Accessibility: Automatic captions will be available. Learn more about Maryland Philanthropy Network’s program accessibility at this link. To request any additional accessibility accommodations, contact the staff member listed above in the yellow registration section.