Celebrate Arts & Health Month this November!
Arts & Health Month is an opportunity for everyone to celebrate, educate, and champion the role of the arts in health and well-being.
Arts & Health + Creativity
Artists and cultural organizations are essential partners in community well-being.
In 2021, California officially recognized artists as an essential workforce through SCR 40, recognizing them as the state’s “second responders.” This recognition uplifts the vital role artists and cultural bearers play in the community health workforce, helping communities heal, process trauma, and rebuild emotional and social well-being.
Through cultural programming and creative engagement, “artists as second responders” facilitate social connection, creative expression, and stress reduction, factors that protect mental health. This work is preventive and non-clinical, reaching individuals without the barriers associated with formal healthcare.
2025 World Arts West Dance Festival & Herencia Guantanamera - Afro Cuban sacred gathering ceremony at PUSH Sanctuary, San Francisco.
CA for the Arts is on the front lines advocating for formal pathways for artists and creative workers to train for and be recognized as Community Health Workers (CHW), with equitable, living-wage compensation. Community Health Workers are already gaining recognition across the state, with increasing Medi-Cal reimbursement opportunities to expand their roles.
This November, join us in celebrating Arts & Health Month.
Let's celebrate, educate, and champion the role of the arts in health and well-being by participating in activities that raise awareness, build connections, and inspire action.
Learn more about how YOU can participate & download a helpful Toolkit at CAfortheArts.org/arts-health-initiative.
