There is an increasing amount of scientific evidence that proves art enhances brain function. It has an impact on brain wave patterns and emotions, the nervous system, and can actually raise serotonin levels. Art can change a person’s outlook and the way they experience the world.
Decades of research have provided more than a sufficient amount of data to prove that arts education impacts everything from overall academic achievement to social and emotional development and so much more. Research has proven the arts develop neural systems that produce a broad spectrum of benefits ranging from fine motor skills to creativity and improved emotional balance. Quite simply, the arts are invaluable to our proper functioning individually and as a society.
This article was originally written in March, 2015, and updated several times since that date.
“The arts are a critical component of healthcare. Expressive art is a tool to explore, develop and practice creativity as a means to wellness.” ~ Wellarts Association
Arts With The Brain in Mind
Evidence from brain research is only one of many reasons education and engagement in fine arts is beneficial to the educational process. As Eric Jensen, one of the leading translators in the world of neuroscience into education, states in his book Arts with the Brain in Mind, “The systems they nourish, which include our integrated sensory, attentional, cognitive, emotional, and motor capacities, are, in fact, the driving forces behind all other learning.”
This notion of how the arts and the brain work together is supported by another study, conducted by Judith Burton, professor of Art Education and Research, Teachers College, Columbia University, which reveals that subjects such as mathematics, science, and language require complex cognitive and creative capacities that are “typical of arts learning.”
Art Changes Consciousness
In his article on the Natural Blaze website Jacob Devaney wrote “When you observe a profound piece of art you are potentially firing the same neurons as the artist did when they created it thus making new neural pathways and stimulating a state of inspiration. This sense of being drawn into a painting is called “embodied cognition”.
Education in the Arts is An Integral Part
And, according to Bob Bryant, Executive Director of Fine Arts at Katy, ISD (Katy, Independent School District in Houston, Texas, “Education in the arts is an integral part of the development of each human being. Education and engagement in the fine arts are an essential part of the school curriculum and an important component in the educational program of every student in Katy ISD.”
“Pleasure” Response & Increased Blood Flow to the Brain
In May, 2011, Robert Mendick, reporter for The Telegraph, wrote an article about an experiment conducted by Professor Semir Zeki, chair in neuroaesthetics at University College London. Zeki explained, “We wanted to see what happens in the brain when you look at beautiful paintings.” The experiment concluded when you look at art “whether it is a landscape, a still life, an abstract or a portrait – there is strong activity in that part of the brain related to pleasure.” The participants underwent brain scans while being shown a series of 30 paintings by major artists. When viewing art they considered most beautiful their blood flow increased in a certain part of the brain by as much as 10%, which is the equivalent to gazing at a loved one. Paintings such as those by artists Constable, Ingres, and Monet produce the most powerful ‘pleasure’ response.
Awe, Wonder and Beauty Promote Healing
Psychologist Dr Dacher Keltner, of California University in Berkeley, said: “That awe, wonder and beauty promote healthier levels of cytokines suggests the things we do to experience these emotions – a walk in nature, losing oneself in music, beholding art – has a direct influence upon health and life expectancy.” Source: Art does heal: scientists say appreciating creative works can fight off disease (www.telegraph.co.uk)
The experience of viewing awe-inspiring art has a positive effect on the physical body and mental state. In an article on the University of Wisconsin Health website, psychologist Shilagh Mirgain, PhD was quoted as saying, “Awe has many important implications for our well-being.” Mirgain explained, “Experiencing awe can give us a sense of hope and provide a feeling of fulfillment.”
Many medical related articles also provide evidence that points to the physical benefits derived from experiencing awe-inspiring moments on a routine basis. A recent study from the University of California-Berkeley found that “participants who experienced more awe-struck moments had the lowest levels of interleukin-6, a marker of inflammation.” Read “Increase Your Well-Being With Awe-Inspiring Art.
Artists Are Healthier
The Research Center for Arts and Culture (RCAC) at the National Center for Creative Aging (NCCA) established that artists suffer less loneliness and depression than the general population. According to the study mature artists are highly functioning members of society and are twice likely to do volunteer work than others. The study proved the benefits of the ART CART, a program that serves mature artists. The research also proved general benefits of art-making and creative collaboration for the aging population.
Read Artists’ Stories About Self-Healing and Transformation
On this website you’ll find many articles written by artists about how art turned their lives from tragedy to triumph, served as a healing modality for dealing with life’s challenges, and how their lives were transformed when they began to create art or turned to their creative process. Read artists’ stories.
Our Healing Power of Art Exhibitions
On this website we present several online Healing Power of Art exhibitions every year. We receive art and artist’s statements on a range of subjects and explaining why artists create art. Some statements deal with physical and mental illness. One artist wrote: “Within the last ten years painting has been a continuous remedy for the depression and pain…” While still another wrote: “I believe art saved my life, pulled me out of a coma…” Read Does Art Have The Power to Save Lives?
Art Reduces Stress
On the U.S. National Institute of Health’s (NIH) website, according to the extensive research publication “The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature” by Heather L. Stuckey, DEd and Jeremy Nobel, MD, “Engagement with creative activities has the potential to contribute toward reducing stress and depression and can serve as a vehicle for alleviating the burden of chronic disease.” They also stated, “Through creativity and imagination, we find our identity and our reservoir of healing. The more we understand the relationship between creative expression and healing, the more we will discover the healing power of the arts.”
Art and Brain Functions
A new report from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is titled “How Creativity Works in the Brain”. This report comes after previous NEA initiatives including the NEA/Walter Reed Healing Arts Partnership. As Bill O’Brien, NEA senior advisor to the chairman for innovation stated, “The time is ripe for bringing together artists, scientists, and educators to collaboratively confront the question of how creativity functions in the brain.”He went on to say, “Imagine the potential for our nation’s health, education, culture, and productivity if we were able to truly understand the anatomy of our ‘aha’ moments, and how they can be nurtured, optimized, and deployed.”
Da Vinci’s Brain
“Leonardo da Vinci, the Codex Leicester, and the Creative Mind,” was an exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts’ Target Galleries, offered rare insights into one of history’s greatest renaissance thinkers. It also revealed how his innovative mental processes are shared by some of today’s most visionary artists, engineers, and designers. By bringing together da Vinci’s observations with contemporary works by artists and designers the exhibition explored how the creative process unfolds.
My Experience
As I reflect back on that time of my life as a volunteer in the mental hospital I realize how fortunate I was that the patients gave me permission to enter the private corridors of their mental state — demons and all. They provided an enormous amount of valuable education that no academic course could ever offer to me. I also learned firsthand how creative self-expression has the potential to help those inflicted with mental illness. There are ways to communicate through art that transcend barriers and limitations and go straight to the heart of the matter. You can read more about my experience in this article.
About This Website
On this website you will find more articles related to the links between of the Arts and our well-being. You’ll find art programs that are devoted to using art in schools, community centers, and government programs. You’ll find profound and inspiring articles by artists who have transformed their lives through art.
I hope you will visit often and take time to comment and let us know what you think about The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS, and what you’ve enjoyed and learned from the art and articles.
Hello, I came across this article by googling how the arts impact the brain for my article critique. I really enjoyed reading the information it provided and I appreciated the studies done by different people. As an artist myself, I totally agree with the findings! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi Renee,
I discovered this article as I googled “how art enhances your life” when writing a thank you note to my son’s art teacher. He discovered a love of painting in his late 30’s when going to a place to live to learn about his mental health situation. It has been life changing! His teacher has encouraged him and truly believes in his talent. She even got him into a gallery! This article should be read by every art teacher and I would love to pass it on to my grandchildren’s art school programs! Could I copy it?
Thank you and I look forward to reading more of your publications!
Dear Jan, Thank you for your comment and request to copy this article. YES! You may copy it with my blessings to you, your son and your grandchildren. All the best to you, Renee
This article is wonderful! When I studied physics, we learned that art helps our ability to understand math and science as well. For those interested in how art cross fertilizes, the late physicist Richard Feynman drew and painted as well as unravel mysteries of the cosmos. Thank you so much for this article, Renee!
Thank you Mary! I will delve into the life and work of Richard Feynman this evening.
Well, this certainly explains why I feel energized and excited when I finish a scan. I am often awed at how well objects came together in a composition. The finished image, and my feelings about it keep me wanting to make even better and more beautiful compositions for myself and viewers of my artwork. Expressing love and beauty through art heals the mind and the body.
Sandra, Thank you for your comment. You make an excellent point for why everyone should engage in some form of creativity throughout their lives. The world needs everyone expressing love and beauty and bringing healing to the mind and body! Wishing you continued creative bliss!
I am in the process of writing a graphic memoir with adobe software of how I used my health and fitness background to stop my mother with mild dementia from forgetting me, and it worked. I’m leaving a comment here for your feedback because I wanted to ask if you are aware that a common neuro test is making people draw a cube, no matter what their background is. I am quoting Betty Edwards in my book because she states that nobody can draw a cube without being taught, so I think it is ridiculous to use a cube as a basis for mental status and I wanted to see if you agreed with me. My mother drew the cube okay, but she always hated drawing. What do you and anybody reading this think?
I have a granddaughter who is pursuing an education in the arts. I am sharing this wonderful and inspiring article to her. It offers wonderful ideas about the enhancements of all kinds of art and the broadening aspects to include artists if all ages. Thank you.dori
I think I will pick up my paint brushes again!
Doris, Thank you for your comment and for sharing this article with your granddaughter. That’s wonderful that you are going to pick up your paint brushes again. Imagine the wonderful experiences you’ll have to share with your granddaughter. Wishing you many hours of creative bliss!
Hi,
This article is very impressive and it best for today’s generation.
Shall I repost with your name on our art selling website?
Thank you. We are delighted to know you enjoyed reading the article. You may share links; however, we DO NOT give permission to repost the article. Thank you for understanding.
It’s cool that you point out that making art can help relieve stress. I’ve been feeling very stressed lately, so I’m thinking about buying some supplies to help me start creating art. I’m going to look for a good business that can sell me some art supplies.
Very interesting article. I have worked in the police for 20 years (very toxic time) . This led me to a lot of mental, emotional and physical problems including high BP, anxiety and unexplainable pains, twitches. After always believing I had no creative side when I started drawing, I started using a book which explored starting to draw upside down to connect left and right brain functions. I found myself absorbed in drawing. After a week or so I woke up and felt some fundamental shift had occurred in my brain. I could see outside the narrow mental box I had created for myself, my BP was well under normal and I was sleeping better than ever. I also realised if I left the police I could have a different and much better life. BTW Some B12 and magnesium seems to have helped to.
Hi Peter, We are very happy for you that you found a way to retrain your brain and use art as a form of healing. Take good care! Renee, and The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS team.
Hi Mrs. Phillips,
I’m a senior at North Kingstown High School. One of our graduation requirements is a senior project, which i’m creating a mural. One of the requirements is to conduct a interview and i would love to ask you some questions. if your willing to answer just email me! thank you
Hi Adrian, Thank you for your comment. My assistant sent you a detailed email. Unfortunately, we never received a response from you so I hope you received it.
I actually found that many of the mental and even physical problems are solved by proper art education. I had students who had severe depression and are now psychologists
Hi, Can I get possibly get the citation for this article and when it was published?
The author and original pub date are included in the article.
Hello Ms. Phillips. I love your article. I discovered it when researching the importance of art education in schools, after my daughter said she is writing her senior essay for her language arts class over this subject. Both of my daughter and I love all forms of art. When our only art teacher retired at our pre-k through 12th school, we did not get another teacher, and the art room is now only used for making posters for homecoming, decorating for prom, and storage. It is so sad. Now my youngest daughter teaches herself art by watching YouTube videos and researching the internet. I would like to print this article out for my daughter to use, but don’t see when it was published. Can you help me out so my daughter can use it in her essay and give you a correct citation? Thank you for your help.
Hello Nancy, Your daughter sounds remarkable! I am an avid YouTube watcher also and that is a good place for her to learn how to create art. It’s a shame her art teacher was not replaced but we can be grateful for the Internet.
This article is the newest and most updated version, not available elsewhere. Yes, you are more than welcome to print it from here. I sent you a direct email with a PDF attachment of the article. I hope this answers your question. Best wishes, Renee
It’s a beautiful message to society…that art can heal your body and brain.
Thanks for such wonderful post.
do you have any experience with visual arts in the workplace and the impact?
I, myself, have a portfolio of line drawings that are in pencil. 10 of them are in color. They help stimulate me as I try to deal with my current job.
Hey there!
This is a terrific piece! Thank you so much for putting it together!!
I am wondering is it ok if I print this out and distribute this well put together information to our fellow parents of our Performing Arts Programs? We as the parent association want to ensure we educate the postive developmental impact the arts has on all of us especially our developing children! It is my personal mission to help bring information to help encourage the awarness and oppurtunity of experiance of the Performing Arts with factual information that builds a foundation of truth only helping to grow the oppurtunity for children and the community!
I hope it’s ok I will most definatly ensure all your brilliant work stays as you have it beautifully with all your contact and resources just a copy and print. As I want to ensure encouragement and promotion for future education to help grow and develop our programs and build a stronger community through the Performing Arts!
thank you so much your your accsessiblitly!!
Thank you for all your hard work!!
Thank you for doing what you have done to have put together such valuable information that no doubtlby took time and hard work thank you so much!
Yes, Katlynne please share! I’m happy to know it will be put to good use in your hands. Thank you for what you do with your Performing Arts Programs. All the best, Renee
Thanks for such a beautiful and enlightening piece of essay on the subject Renee! And not to forget that great Art can alleviate our sufferings and reconnect us with the cosmos. Thanks for this article.
Hi, just wondering what part of the brain or cells art helps and benefits? I’m doing a speech in on the benefits of art therapy and wanted to back it up with scientific facts and evidence.
Winter, You may want to research Eric Jensen, one of the leading translators in the world of neuroscience and author of Arts with the Brain in Mind. Also, MIT has conducted research regarding the interface between art and neuroscience. I’m sure you’ll find more if you search the internet. Good luck with your speech.
Hello!
I’m also doing a presentation about art therapy. I am a registered art therapist working with different populations. Maybe we can share info for our talks!
Dear Dona, Thank you for expressing interest in our website. Please share links to our website. If you would like to contact us for further information, please send us an email to my attention. Best regards, Renee
I am using this paper for school and helps a lot! It is interesting too!
Unicorn Girl, that’s good news! I hope you get a high score in your assignment!
I actually find this really interesting. I’m doing a project in schools why the fine art shouldn’t be the first ones to be cut if there’s a budget concern and this helped me a lot on my research. Thank you for making this article.
Very interesting. As a lifelong meditator and certified meditation instructor, I’ve found similar benefits, not just from meditation but also from any activity, physical, mental, or creative, that is similarly demanding of mental focus. I believe creativity is an essential aspect of many people’s lives, despite that it requires disposable or leisure time that many cannot spare. Thank you for these insights.
I have been an artist ever since I was born my art has taken places that have inriched my phyisical and spiritual life.
How does some join your group…
Andre
Dear Andre, Thank you for your comment. At this time we aren’t accepting new members but we have a call for artists for a two-month long online exhibition on this website. Visit this page for details.
As i am a person who has suffered greatly with depression and anxiety. Discovering i could draw and being totally in the moment whilst drawing has been a huge release from the grips of despair etc. I find drawing therapeutic and very relaxing and would encourage others who suffer from depression/anxiety to try.
Ken, thank you for your comment. I visited your website http://www.kenporter.co.nz/ and your drawings are wonderful!