ART CURE

Making art central to living.

In her debut book, award-winning psychologist and epidemiologist Fancourt makes a strong case for the significance of the arts—“the forgotten fifth pillar of health”—in every aspect of well-being. Drawing on considerable scientific research and her own experiences, she presents evidence that art affects every physiological system: mental health, brain health, movement, stress and pain, healthy behaviors, and longevity. She defines art broadly as encompassing activities such as dancing, singing, creating art in any medium (including knitting), playing a musical instrument, reading a book, and going to the theater, museums, concerts, or exhibitions. Even 30 to 60 minutes a week engaging in the arts, she advises, can lead to improvements. Throughout the book, Fancourt introduces individuals who serve as striking examples for the benefit of art: a woman diagnosed with multiple mental illnesses who turned her life around after joining a drawing class; a man with dementia whose memory for beloved songs was stimulated by listening to music on headphones; a boy with cerebral palsy whose dexterity improved when he went to magic camp. Besides these compelling anecdotes, the author marshals impressive statistics to support her assertions that the arts can induce happiness, alleviate depression, spur life-affirming behavior, positively affect longevity, bolster the immune system, help define one’s sense of identity, and promote a sense of agency. In each chapter, she suggests ways to create a “personalized arts prescription” to fit one’s particular psychological and physiological needs, ending with a list of 10 practical tips for integrating art into one’s daily life and community. She advocates supporting local artists, initiating community arts groups, and actively campaigning for schools, workplaces, hospitals, and nursing homes to promote arts activities.

An inspiring book that’s based on persuasive science.