Log in

Art Heals All Wounds - Why Supporting the Arts Matters Now More Than Ever
share icon

Why Supporting the Arts Matters Now More Than Ever

Art Heals All Wounds

06/11/25

3m

About

Comments

Transcript

Featured In

I’m letting you know that the current season of Art Heals All Wounds—focused on arts in medicine—has come to an end and that the podcast will be going on a temporary break. My increased workload and other creative commitments necessitate some time away, but I intend to use this pause to return with renewed perspective and fresh ideas.

This is a challenging climate for the arts in the United States. Recent threats to arts funding is resulting in the rescinding of grants for many organizations, including some previously featured on the show. I hope listeners can support the local arts organizations whenever possible. I also encourage you to harness creativity as a tool for community connection and personal well-being.

Please send in suggestions and ideas for future episodes through the podcast’s website. Thank you to all of the listeners of this show! More to come!

Key Takeaways:

  • The current season is ending; the podcast is taking a few months’ break but will return.
  • Juggling a demanding day job and other creative projects, leading to the need for a pause.
  • Recent political developments in the US threaten funding for the arts, impacting many organizations.
  • Support local arts and cultural centers, especially during times of uncertainty.
  • You are invited to share feedback and ideas for future episodes via arthealsallwoundspodcast.com.
  • Gratitude is extended to the global creative community and the podcast’s listeners.
  • Stay tuned—more episodes and inspiration are coming!

Links:

Contact:
Have suggestions or feedback? Reach out through the website!

Thanks for listening, and stay creative!

Support the show

Previous Episode

Discover how arts in medicine transform hospitals to support healing, well-being, and community engagement.

In this episode of Art Heals All Wounds, I sit down with Larissa Trinder, the Assistant Vice President for Arts in Medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals. Larissa shares the transformative power of art within healthcare, discussing how intentional art initiatives and community engagement can improve hospital environments, support staff, and promote wellness for patients—including those in marginalized communities.

Key Topics Covered

· Larissa’s Path to Arts in Medicine:
Larissa shares her personal journey, starting with her son’s experience with dyslexia and the role of art in boosting his self-esteem, ultimately leading to his career as an animator.

· History of NYC Health + Hospitals’ Art Collection:
The hospital system holds over 7,500 works of art, one of the largest public art collections in NYC, originating from the 1930s Works Progress Administration. The collection includes iconic works like Abram Champanier’s Alice in Wonderland panels and a Keith Haring mural raising AIDS awareness.

· Art as a Tool for Engagement and Healing:
Larissa explains how art programs serve not just to beautify spaces, but to foster community, support staff well-being, and highlight critical social issues like gun violence and support for asylum seekers.

· Highlighted Projects:

o Art programs in correctional health services at Rikers Island, including a mural at the reentry center co-created by incarcerated individuals and artist Dindga McCannon.

o Guns Down, Life Up—an arts initiative embedded in hospital violence prevention programs.

Upcoming Events & Announcements

· Documentary Premiere:
Hidden Art Healing Walls will air on WNET’s Treasures of New York and all PBS stations in early 2026, showcasing the Art in Medicine program.

· Major Exhibition:
An exhibition of the Abram Champanier murals opens at the Museum of the City of New York, June–September 2026—the museum’s largest show of the year.

· New Exhibitions:

o We Belong Here (opens June 4, 2026): An exhibition highlighting immigrant support through NYC Care, with works by three immigrant artists displayed citywide.

o Housing for Health/Street Health Outreach: In collaboration with NYU’s Healing Arts Week (fall 2026), featuring art created by patients experiencing homelessness.

How to Learn More

· Bloomberg Connects App:
Search for NYC Health + Hospitals Arts in Medicine to view a digital collection and learn more about their programming.

· Official Website:
NYC Health + Hospitals – Arts in Medicine
(Note: The site is being updated but contains extensive information.)

· Book:
Healing Walls – Features photos and stories of the community mural program.

· Therman Statom

· Roger Ulrich

Connect with Art Heals All Wounds

Website: arthealsallwoundspodcast.com

Support the show

Next Episode

Hello everyone!

After a very long hiatus, Art Heals All Wounds is coming back! After a very long hiatus. I was so burned out. And I realized that I wasn’t really practicing what I preach! There was no time for art or creativity in my life.

So, during this pause, I decided to fix that. I joined a writing group. I started going to a drum circles. Then drum classes. There is nothing like drumming with a group to adjust your attitude for the better.

But now the show is back!

This Thursday, February 23rd, I’ll be sharing the first full episode of the season with an interview with Dr. Daisy Fancourt, author of Art Cure.

Doctor Fancourt is a professor of psychobiology and epidemiology at the University College London, where she heads the social Biobehavioral research Group. She's also director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center on Arts and Health, and is listed as one of the most highly cited scientists in the world.

Daisy’s book Art Cure was such an inspiring read for. I hope you’ll Join me this Thursday to hear her talk about it!

In an attempt to not burnout again, I’ll be releasing mini-seasons. About four episodes or so, then a month break. I hope that you’ll stay with the show despite the short seasons and regular breaks. I appreciate your listening more than you can know!

I’m also continuing my break from social media. If you like this show and want to share it with a friend, that will help the podcast continue to grow. If you’d like to reach me, you can always connect with me through my website, arthealsallwoundspodcast.com.

Thanks for listening!

Support the show

Promoted