The Arts and Your Health
- Every culture has found a connection between the arts and personal health.
- Music and art have been incorporated by doctors into therapeutic treatments for their patients.
- In a new documentary, renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma travels the world to investigate the power of music in other cultures.
Doctors and researchers have uncovered a growing connection between the arts—like music and visual expression—and personal healing in recent years. As highlighted by SurvivorNet, creative pursuits have proven especially powerful for cancer survivors. For example, actor Val Kilmer found solace in art during his cancer journey; when acting became too physically demanding, he leaned into artistic expression as a meaningful way to cope with stress and support his recovery.
Read MoreLofty goals, of course, but therapists are finding that patients are reacting well to the treatment, which can benefit people battling cancer and chronic disease.
Art Has Many Benefits
In The Music of Strangers, a 2016 film, world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma travels with the Silk Road Ensemble worldwide, learning about music in different parts of the globe.
Ma discusses his decades-long career in making music and his growth with the Ensemble, a collective of about fifty members who have performed for millions of fans worldwide.
“We started as a group of musicians getting together and seeing what might happen when strangers meet,” says Ma. “Now, when I’m with them, I feel a huge amount of creativity and trust. I am supported, inspired, and energized by their work.”
The film also emphasizes how artistic creativity is essential to everyday life.
People who incorporate the arts, such as music, art, theater, and literature, into their daily lives seem to thrive. In fact, surrounding yourself with the arts can improve the quality of your life in many ways.
8 Ways to Incorporate the Arts into Your Daily Life
- Use apps! Art and technology are not incompatible. Try creation apps like ProCreate to help you design your own work. Subscribe to apps like DailyArt, which send you an image of a new piece of art daily and a description of the work and the artist.
- Visit museums. Many museums are open during the day, so why not take a walk during your lunch break to see the exhibits? Many are free and open to the public, such as the Smithsonian galleries in Washington, DC. Don’t live or work near a museum? Many museums and art centers have virtual exhibits you can visit at your own leisure.
- Join a book club. Book clubs are more popular than ever! Find a book club in your area by checking out social media sites or visiting your local library. You can also start one on your own!
- Enjoy the arts every minute of your day. If you have a long drive, listen to an audiobook (many are free through your library) or subscribe to a particular artist or genre on Spotify.
- Take a class. Spend one evening a week or part of your weekend taking a class at your local community college, library, or community center. Have you always wanted to learn about photography, ceramics, playing the piano, or using watercolors?
- Start a sketchbook or journal. Spend a few minutes a day working in a journal or drawing in a sketchbook. Don’t have a set agenda, “just put down your thoughts or ideas, without editing yourself, or pick up your pencil and begin sketching.
- Make the ordinary extraordinary. Look at your phone case, wallet, mousepad, and iPad case. Are they boring? Is there room to make them more interesting? Why not invest in a more artistic item? Shop at stores that sell the work of local artists or check out sites like Etsy, where many artists set up shop.
- Steep your space in art. Say goodbye to bare walls or boring cubicle spaces. Incorporate art in every aspect of your daily space.
Stream The Music of Strangers and other films about inspiring people on SurvivorNetTV.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
