Exploring the Arts + Public Health in America 

Presented by the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine and Oregon State University, in partnership with ArtPlace America and a2ru.

This program is a part of the Creating Healthy Communities Arts + Public Health in America initiative.

At the present moment, the arts are poised to transform public health as they have healthcare in recent years. With the overarching goal of creating stronger and healthier communities through the arts, a national initiative has been launched to bridge the arts and public health sectors through a strategic process of discovery, collaboration, translation, and dissemination. 

Features of the built and social environment (farmers markets, walkable neighborhoods, parks, safe trails) have been found to enhance community well-being. Similarly, community cultural and artistic activities may improve the social environment, reduce social isolation, and can also increase community vibrancy and engagement. This workshop will focus on how land grant universities, and specifically university extension programs, can enage with the arts and culture and community development sectors and community members to create healthier communities through the arts. 

Together, we'll address the questions: 

• How can the power of the arts be harnessed in public health and community-building initiatives? 
• How can the arts be used to increase community vibrancy and improve population health?
• How can we engage communities in equitable participatory research and programming that gives communities leadership in determining the types of creative activities that would be effective?
• How can we measure the outcomes and impacts of those programs?  

Who we'll gather: 

This invitation-only meeting of 50 thought leaders will focus on the work of extension programs at land grant universities in using arts and culture to enhance health and wellbeing in communities. Together, we will chart an action plan for enhancing community health through cross-sector collaboration that connects extension programs, arts and culture, public health and community development. If you have received an invitation, please be sure to read our event FAQs for important details about the event.