December 19, 2024
As discussions about the connection between arts and mental health continue to become more prevalent, the release of Americans for the Arts’ first public opinion survey since 2018, Americans Speak Out About the Arts (conducted in July of 2023), further underscores the importance of arts in both in communities and in individual emotional and physical wellbeing. Surveying over 3,000 American adults, this survey is one of the largest ever conducted and highlights the personal and community benefits of arts participation.
According to the survey, Americans are highly engaged in the arts, and a majority view arts and culture as personally important:
- Personal Importance: 76% of Americans view the arts as crucial to their personal well-being.
- Community Building: 72% believe the arts help unite people from diverse backgrounds.
- Support for Arts Education and Funding: A staggering 92% of Americans agree that every student should have access to quality arts education and 70% support local government funding investments into nonprofit arts organizations and community-based arts programs.
- Need for Increased Access: Despite clear support for the arts, only 51% of Americans believe everyone in their community has equal access to the arts, and only 52% believe students have sufficient opportunities to take art classes.
“Engagement in the arts makes the American public feel healthier, more creative, and more empathetic—feeling better about today and more optimistic about tomorrow. These personal benefits also extend beyond the individual, with the public agreeing that the investments in the arts strengthen civic pride and improve the social, economic, and educational well-being of their community.”
– Randy Cohen, Americans for the Arts Vice President of Research
These data highlight how the arts contribute to healthier, more creative, and more connected communities—but it doesn’t stop there. The survey’s most compelling findings center on the connection between the arts and mental health. According to the results of Americans Speak Out About the Arts, 75% of Americans would likely follow the recommendation of a doctor to “participate in the arts as a means of improving your physical or mental health,” and 60% of American adults agreed with the statement, “The arts have helped me cope during times of mental or emotional distress.” Even more promising is that 81% of Americans favor government funding of arts and culture to address mental health issues.
The findings of the Americans for the Arts Survey serve as compelling evidence that art therapy is not just valuable but essential and reinforce what the art therapy community has known for years. Art-making strengthens community connection, can facilitate effective activism, and be used to enhance education.