What the movement to integrate the arts and health can teach us about making research matter
Author
Times Higher Education
Date
5 October 2026
Researchers, health professionals, policymakers and artists, including Grammy Award-winning musician Jon Batiste (above), gathered at New York University during the UN General Assembly Healing Arts Week in September to launch The Lancet’s first global collection on arts and health.
That mix was deliberate: evidence rarely travels by itself.
The collection, which shows how the arts “contribute to mental, physical, and social health”, offers universities a broader lesson: producing knowledge is only part of making research matter. We must consider how evidence enters public conversation, practice and policy.
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Related
Research Project
Jameel Arts & Health Lab - Lancet Global Collection on Arts and Health
Convened by the Lab, the landmark series connects international researchers and artists to present evidence on the value of the arts in clinical and public health.
Lead Researchers
N Sajnani, N Fietje, D Fancourt, S Stapleton
Lead institutions
NYU Steinhardt, WHO Europe, CULTURUNNERS
Status
Published
Type
Global series
Event
UNGA Healing Arts Week
Held annually on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, UNGA Healing Arts Week is a dynamic program of events celebrating innovative approaches to global health and well-being through the arts. The 2026 edition will include the official launch of the JA&HL-Lancet Collection, a Well-Being Concert at Carnegie Hall, creative aging talks and conferences at Lincoln Center, as well as a host of other events all through the 5 boroughs of NYC.