GIA President & CEO Reflects on the Role of Arts and Culture in Health

Eddie Torres, Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA) President & CEO, wrote recently on the role of arts and culture in health, aligning with the 2019 Grantmakers in Health (GIH) annual conference on June 12-14, at which GIA presented the work of the Center for Arts in Medicine at University of Florida, The Kresge Foundation, and artist collective Harriet’s Apothecary.

Torres writes:

When so many elements contribute to the health of our residents—what do you not fund? I worked as a grantmaker in both the private and public sector in an area that was opportunity-dense for a decade and I have also worked with grantmakers in areas that they identify as opportunity-sparse. Information that increases the complexity of funding decisions is frustrating. But I’ve experienced the grantmaking community as one that is embracing of informed deliberation, strategic and energetically iterative. I am so excited by the opportunities to blend arts and culture, wellness, illness-prevention, and treatment.

Read here Eddie Torres' blog for GIH.

Some weeks ago, GIA published a version of this essay. Read here Eddie Torres' President's Blog.

Image: Eli Zaturanski