e a part of our everyday lives.”‘
“In the journal “NeuroImage”, Emory University School of Medicine researchers found that parts of the brain involved in making decisions, taking risks and experiencing pleasure — the ventral striatum and the hypothalamus — are activated more from viewing paintings than photographs that represent similar themes.”
“Placemaking is the art of developing a public space that attracts people. In the process, it almost always pays economic dividends back to the community.”
“Places that incorporate local heritage and artists attract more tourists, and residents feel a stronger connection to such places. The Arts and Economic Prosperity III report from Americans for the Arts states that annual support in the arts generates a 7:1 return.”
‘Guest Curator Dr. Gary Vikan and Collaborator Dr. Charles “Ed” Connor discusses the new The American Association for the Advancement of Science exhibit “Beauty and the Brain Revealed.”‘ | AAAS/CARLA SCHAFFER
“More specifically, there is evidence that engagement with artistic activities, either as an observer of the creative efforts of others or as an initiator of one’s own creative efforts, can enhance one’s moods, emotions, and other psychological states as well as have a salient impact on important physiological parameters.”
“It starts with the inherent value of culture, continues through all the social and educational benefits and only ends with the economic.”
“The inherent value of culture, its contribution to society, its symbiotic relationship with education and, yes, its economic power (but in that order) … this is what we call the holistic case for public support of arts and culture.”
“More than anything, art and positive distractions provide a connection to humanity. Art is a very human thing, done by another human being and created for others to enjoy. It has, therefore, an innate wonder and warmth.”
“If your buddies give you a hard time for preferring Monet over the Mets, you can hit them with this: a study finds that an appreciation of culture and the arts can do wonders for a man’s health, including lowering his risk of anxiety and depression. “
“Communities with visible, thoughtful public art thrive because people want to be there. Public art invigorates our sense of place and excites us about where we are. In turn, art bolsters civic fundamentals: pride, economic growth and population retention.”
-OKC artist Romy Owens makes case for further investments in public art.
“The arts give people a creative voice, a path to leadership, a way to express shared values, and to create a shared experience working together toward meaningful outcomes. There is consensus among social scientists, historians, educators, and activists that it is exactly these kinds of experiences that helps to build community. Working in and through the arts becomes another way to help people meet the economic, ecological and social challenges of the future.”
“Donald Urquhart is one of the two Art Co-ordinators for the new Mental Health and Community Facility and in this piece he tells us about his inspirations, and the evidence he draws on, for the value of integrating contemplative aspects of nature within art into the healthcare environment.”
“Beauty and the Brain: A Neural Approach to Aesthetics,” enlists the public as participants in a Johns Hopkins University study that looks at why the human brain is attracted to artwork.
“Research shows that volunteering will help you live longer, and that should be cause enough to make you happy. But there are other reasons as to why volunteering makes you happier… here are 3 leading theories as to why:”
“Mayors, arts and cultural policy-makers and economic developers would be better served by taking a more localized, place-specific approach to arts initiatives.”
“But it is really since the 1980s that the links between art and health have been seriously explored. Today a growing number of patients, health and social care professionals, researchers, policy makers, architects and planners recognise that the arts are integral to health.”
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