Art activities and art appreciation has been known to promote healing, reduce stress and anxiety. While more studies are needed to better understand how art therapy impacts our mental and physical health, there is a growing interest in its efficacy for a broad spectrum of health conditions. In a study conducted by Girija Kaimal, et.al. (2016), they found that among the 39 participants who have undergone artmaking which included the use of markers, collage materials, and modelling clay, 75 percent have shown to reduce their cortisol level, a stress hormone. A systematic review of 37 studies with over 2,000 participants also revealed that in 81 percent of the research reviewed, participants reported a significant reduction of stress from creative arts interventions, which included dance, movement, drama, music, and visual arts.
Some research has found art as a medium to help people enhance their quality of life especially among people coping with cancer. A related study found that 20 women who received radiotherapy for breast cancer saw significant improvements in depression and physical symptoms after five weekly art therapy session, compared with 21 women in the control group. These improvements were observed to have a potentially lasting effect that are still evident after four months. Other studies also showed the benefits of art therapy to reduce stress among people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and to improve behavior in autistic children.
One of the greater missions of art is healing. And in RxART Canada, a registered Canadian Charity, their mission is to promote health and stimulate healing by transforming hospital facilities with extraordinary museum-quality art installations. Each art project is produced at no cost to the hospitals they work with. They commission established contemporary artists to transform healthcare facilities into engaging and inspiring environments full of beauty, humour, and comfort. To learn more about RxART Canada and to support the work they do, please visit their website at rxartcanada.ca.