About the new Arizona initiative
Welcome to the Arizona Community NeuroArts Coalition, part of a growing national movement born out of the NeuroArts Blueprint: Advancing the Science of Arts, Health and Wellbeing initiative co-led by the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University and the Aspen Institute.
Around the country, local coalitions are harnessing arts, outdoors, and aesthetic experiences to improve health, wellbeing, social cohesion, and community resilience.
In Arizona, our vision is that the health and well-being of Arizona’s diverse communities benefit from the integration of arts, culture, and aesthetics into everyday life. Our Arizona initiative will mirror the national framework, but stay rooted locally in community strengths.
What is neuroarts?
The emerging field explores how art impacts our brains, biology, and behavior, driving us towards health and well-being. It’s a springboard for arts-based interventions and innovative programs that can be practiced in clinics, homes, workplaces, and communities — all to boost individual and collective well-being.
Arizona partners making it happen
The NeuroArts Blueprint launched in 2019 and provides the roadmap for community organizations doing this work. Around the country, local coalitions are typically comprised of representatives of arts, health, neuroscience, education, business, philanthropy, and public policy sectors.
In Arizona, several groups are already working to build the state’s neuroarts ecosystem as members of the Arizona Community NeuroArts Coalition.:
Founded in 1965 to improve the quality of life in Arizona to benefit future generations. Support for bioscience research and arts initiatives are key pillars.
Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust
Supporting organizations that enrich health, well-being and opportunity for the people of Maricopa County.
Connecting, supporting and informing efforts to improve the health of individuals and communities in Arizona.
Arizona Commission on the Arts
Celebrating cultural traditions, inspiring creativity, growing local economies, and enhancing Arizonans’ quality of life.
Why Arizona, why now?
Health & well-being
Research and practice in the neuroarts field show that artistic and aesthetic experiences can change the brain, body, and behavior in measurable ways—supporting prevention, recovery and resilience in physical and mental health.
By embedding arts-in-health strategies into community settings in Arizona, we can enhance wellness, reduce burden on our health care systems, and prevent escalation of chronic conditions.
A strategic moment for Arizona
With a growing bioscience ecosystem, philanthropic leadership, and a rising awareness of arts-health intersections, Arizona has the momentum to become a hub for neuroarts practice and research. By aligning art, science, health, and community action, we can set the stage for scaled programs, and measurable outcomes.
Economic & community opportunity
Embedding neuroarts programs creates new pathways for creative jobs, health-innovation jobs, community-based workforce development, and for leveraging arts assets into health-service models.
Get involved, stay informed
We invite community organizations, health systems, cultural institutions, researchers, artists, funders, educators and civic leaders in Arizona to join this coalition-building journey.
Review the national framework: NeuroArts Blueprint – Community NeuroArts Coalitions.
*Headline image Courtesy of Desert Botanical Garden.
