Policymakers, arts advocates, community leaders and artists participated in “Healing, Bridging, Thriving,” the first-ever White House Arts and Culture Summit in Washington, DC.
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Policymakers, arts advocates, community leaders and artists participated in “Healing, Bridging, Thriving,” the first-ever White House Arts and Culture Summit in Washington, DC.
Shutterstock on behalf of the NEA
“Music,” said Dr. Vivek Murthy, surgeon general of the United States, “can, in a matter of seconds, make me feel better.” He spoke from the Constitution Center in Washington, DC, continuing: “I’ve prescribed a lot of drugs as a doctor over the years. I’ve seen few that have this kind of extraordinary, instantaneous effect.”
This was exactly the kind of message the organizers of “Healing, Bridging, Thriving” wanted to convey.
The summit was hosted by the White House Domestic Policy Council and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Policy makers, arts and community leaders, funders and artists were in attendance.
Organizers believe it was a “first-of-its-kind meeting” exploring how the arts can improve people’s health, “invigorate physical spaces, fuel democracy, and promote equitable outcomes.”
Breaking down silos
In 2022, President Joe Biden signed a Executive Decree affirming that the arts are “essential to the well-being, health, vitality and democracy of our nation.” His administration called him “whole-of-government approach” that this gathering was supposed to amplify.
Admiral Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, spoke at the “Healing, Bridging, Thriving: A Summit on Arts and Culture in our Communities” event hosted by the National Endowment for the Arts and the White House.
Bryan Dozier/Shutterstock on behalf of the NEA
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Bryan Dozier/Shutterstock on behalf of the NEA
Admiral Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, spoke at the “Healing, Bridging, Thriving: A Summit on Arts and Culture in our Communities” event hosted by the National Endowment for the Arts and the White House.
Bryan Dozier/Shutterstock on behalf of the NEA
Wondering how exactly ministries could collaborate with artists? Here are some unlikely examples shared today, in hopes of encouraging more partnerships in the future:
- A collaboration in New Orleans, between the Ashé Cultural Arts Center and local health organizations, resulted, among other things, in the recruitment and training of 15 working artists as community health workers.
- When medical students study the subtle aspects of the paintings, Murthy said, “it actually helped them better interpret X-rays and other X-ray images.”
- Thanks to the US Water Alliance, artists have help “raise awareness of the challenges facing our water systems and inspire investment in our nation’s water future.” »
New initiatives announced
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took the opportunity to announce its first-ever artist-in-residence program, in partnership with the NEA.
Radhika Fox of the EPA’s Office of Water said the agency will invest $200,000 in six different watersheds, including the Rio Grande River in New Mexico, the San Juan Estuary in Puerto Rico and the Passaic, Bronx and Harlem watersheds.
“All of these resources will go toward supporting the artist and supporting the work that they’re doing in this watershed,” Fox said. “I can’t wait to see what creativity, what new solutions, what new ways of thinking and being together will develop through these partnerships.”
Almost all speakers and panelists at today’s summit were convinced that arts and culture should be integrated into all kinds of policy decisions, not just those that affect artists.
To this end, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the NEA are launching the “Interagency Task Force on Arts, Health, and Civic Infrastructure.” The NEA describes civic infrastructure as “the mechanisms, institutions, and relationships we rely on to care for each other.” The group will be chaired by NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson and HHS Secretary Becerra.
Obstacles persist
Even with these new initiatives, funding for the arts remains minimal. In FY22, the NEA represented 0.0029% of the federal budget. According to the NEA, this represents an annual cost of about $0.54 for every American.
“Pay us fairly and help us sustain our practices,” replied artist Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya when asked what could help her. “Invest in our humanity, our lives and our artistry, not just our productions.”
Phingbodhipakkiya will undoubtedly repeat this message in the future. With Lady Gaga, she is a member of Presidential Committee on the Arts and Humanities.
