Art is healing – explore the arts organizations that are helping wellbeing
May 1, 2025
This content was created in collaboration with Open House New York, and first featured in the OHNY newsletter as part of our themed world tour series recommending cultural places in New York and beyond.
This blog post is for your health! It’s widely known that engaging with the arts is good for healing and well-being, which is why we’ve compiled six cultural organizations dedicated to that mission. We’re opening doors to some exciting collections and works of art otherwise not available to view, plus highlighting some public museums and galleries that celebrate health in art.
NYC Health + Hospitals – Arts in Medicine
First up we have the Arts in Medicine department at NYC Health + Hospitals. It was developed as part of a broader strategy to create healing places that foster a calming atmosphere for patients and their families in New York. NYC Health + Hospitals curates the largest public health collection in New York City. To understand more about their mission, explore “Why Arts in Healthcare” and learn about the “History of the Collection,” including “Untitled,” a 700-foot mural of playful figures by Keith Haring that sits in the lobby of Woodhull Hospital.
Fountain House Gallery
Founded in 2000, the Fountain House Gallery is an art-making-focused community that supports the careers and creative visions of contemporary artists living with mental illness. With Bloomberg Connects, you can learn more about the gallery’s work, meet some of the artists, including; “Alyson Vega,” “Roger Jones,” and “Vermillion;” as well as explore past exhibitions like “Compulsive Genius: New Work from Fountain House Studio Residents.”
The Fine Art Program and Collection at Montefiore Einstein
The Fine Art Program and Collection at Montefiore Einstein is a visual arts program that enhances the restorative environment for patients and their families. It is integrated into daily life at Montefiore, driven by their mission to heal, teach, discover, and advance the health of the communities they serve. You can “Explore Collection Spotlights” such as Dale Chihuly’s “Kingfisher Persian“or “Explore Project Installations” like “Field of Dreaming” by Christina Watka.
RxART
RxART pairs artists with pediatric hospitals to develop site-specific projects to improve the experience of patients. Every artist is given the opportunity to help transform the lives of children as they heal. To understand more, their guide explains “Why Should Art Be Installed in Hospitals?” You can also discover their recently completed projects, such as “Harold Ancart | Intermountain Children’s Hospital,” and peek into the RxART archives to see the impact of works like “Takashi Murakami | Children’s National Hospital.”
Paintings in Hospitals
Over in the UK, Paintings in Hospitals is the leading “creative health” organization using world-class art to inspire better health for patients, carers, and communities. They have the only national UK arts collection, representing over 2000 artists, including Andy Warhol, Anish Kapoor, Bridget Riley, and more. Explore their “Collection Highlights” and “Core Collection” as well as get a glimpse at the works on view at the public “Shirley Health Partnership Exhibition” in Southampton.
Wherever you’re based, there’s a wealth of art to discover, nourish, educate, or help heal. Just open Bloomberg Connects to find galleries and museums near you.
