As momentum grows to enlist the arts for better health, critics ask whether the practice is getting ahead of the evidence.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$32.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $21.58 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to the full article PDF.
USD 39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

CRISTINA QUICLER / Contributor / Getty

MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images / Contributor
References
Shariatmadari, D. The Guardian https://go.nature.com/3RVpgYy (18 January 2025).
Cheung, C. Y. et al. Nat. Rev. Dis. Primers 8, 14 (2022).
Bunn, C. et al. BMJ Glob. Health 5, e001987 (2020).
Fancourt, D. & Finn, S. WHO Regional Office for Europe https://go.nature.com/3YwePyf (5 November 2019).
Fancourt, D. & Perkins, R. Br. J. Psychiatry 212, 119–121 (2018).
Munn, Z. et al. BMC Med. Res. Methodol. 18, 143 (2018).
Fancourt, D. & Steptoe, A. The BMJ Opinion https://go.nature.com/4jhOLzw (11 November 2019).
Frontier Economics. https://go.nature.com/3YznuA0 (12 November 2024).
Olojo, I. I. et al. Nat. Med. 31, 16–17 (2025).
Sajnani, N. & Fietje, N. Lancet 402, 1732–1734 (2023).
Warran, K., Burton, A. & Fancourt, D. Wellcome Open Res. 7, 10 (2022).
Clift, S. et al. Lancet 403, 1335 (2024).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Makri, A. A health boost from the arts. Nat Med 31, 1374–1377 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-03701-y
Published:
Version of record:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-03701-y