August 26, 2025

by Katharine Weiner

The transition to college life brings a lot of mixed emotions. If you’re a rising college student, you may feel some nervousness or anxiety, as well as excitement and anticipation.

Transitions can be challenging! Here are five tips to help ease the transition to college before the start of the school. These activities can help ease your transition before you start school. Let’s dive in.

1. Spend time alone in nature

Maybe a forest, a park, or just under a tree. You don’t need any belongings other than a journal if you would like. This allows for intentional alone time without the distractions of a phone/music/social media. This is an exercise that you can continue once you move on campus. You can also spend time in nature with others!

2. Talk to your loved ones about the transition

If you’ll be going to school away from home, talk to the people close to you about how that might affect all of you. Maintaining long-distance relationships can be a challenge, but having a conversation before you leave for school can help to ease any feelings of loneliness during the year.

3. Start a journal/scrapbook

Journaling provides the space to slow down and reflect on the transition. You can use your journal as a way to remember both the exciting and hard moments, and also as a space where you can be honest with yourself. If you start journaling before you leave for school, you’ll begin a habit that you can continue when many of your other routines are changing. You could also incorporate scrapbooking and collage into the process. If you want to share any of it, that can be a great opportunity to connect with others.

4. Create a “sonic passport”

A sonic passport is a playlist or a presentation showcasing the musical “destinations” that have shaped your life. You may choose to reflect on your familial, cultural, or emotional connection to music. The act of creating the passport helps you reflect on music that has a special meaning to you or that you love in the moment. Music taste is a common topic of conversation when getting to know someone, so this exercise will help prepare you to make new connections on campus. If you want, you can even show your presentation/playlist!

5. Make your space your own

When you get to school, create a comfortable space that feels like yours. If you’ll be living with other people on campus, small details like meaningful photos and familiar bedding can help create a space on campus where you feel at ease. Sometimes a poster can be a conversation starter and a way to begin a new relationship.

We hope these tips help to inspire curiosity, confidence, and connection in the weeks ahead!

Written by Katharine Weiner, collaborator with The Foundation for Art & Healing. Katharine is a rising first year student at Harvard who worked with FAH on a research project during her senior year of high school.

April 7, 2025

Introducing the CreativityHub: A Tool to Foster Connection in Challenging Times

In today’s climate of uncertainty and anxiety, the need for stronger emotional well-being and deeper connections is more important than ever.

While access to robust and affordable mental health resources remains of critical importance, there is also a need for simple, convenient tools that allow as many people as possible to feel better connected to themselves and their communities, increasing their resilience and optimism.

The Opportunity: The CreativityHub

To meet this need, The Foundation for Art & Healing recently launched the CreativityHub, an online resource to engage, inspire, and connect individuals through creative expression and equip them with the resources required to face these challenging times.

Some may not think of themselves as creative enough to share their work with others. The CreativityHub eliminates those barriers by providing a suite of simple creative activities that encourage self-expression, social interaction, and reflection. That allows people from all backgrounds to develop a stronger sense of connection to themselves and the means and motivation for connecting to others.

The CreativityHub includes a Connection Poll to help users check in with their emotions and an assortment of twelve creative prompts for solo and group activities. From writing a six-word poem to using colors to recall joyful memories to hosting a collaborative painting party, these activities are designed to spark joy and deepen connections.

While beneficial to all, the CreativityHub is especially impactful for older adults, young adults, employees in high-stress environments, and all those facing marginalizing circumstances such as chronic illness, social isolation, or modernity itself.

Why the Arts?

Arts-based programs are increasingly recognized as effective modalities to help people engage and connect. Research has confirmed that individuals who pursue creativity and self-expression through the arts see improvements in their emotional health, social connectedness, and overall well-being.

That shouldn’t surprise us. Creative expression allows the unconscious to become conscious, increasing our self-awareness and deepening our knowledge of who we are and what matters to us. And when we share our creative works with others, we build meaningful social connections by allowing aspects of who we are to be safely revealed. The arts also help us make sense of the world, allowing us to better navigate daily challenges, forge better connections with others, and—critically—enjoy the vitality of a positive perspective on the social world around us.

The CreativityHub was developed by the Foundation for Art & Healing, which has more than 20 years of experience partnering with expressive arts experts, psychologists and others to build and deliver research-based creative art programs and interventions that are currently being used by hundreds of community-based organizations. This new toolkit captures and integrates that knowledge and expertise into activations specifically designed for direct use by the public, either individually or in small groups.

Why Act Now?

Today, nearly half of all Americans report feeling lonely, increasing the risk of mental illness, physical illnesses, and premature death. This represents a significant public health threat – chronic loneliness has the same negative health impacts as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, increasing heart attack and stroke, or death from either, by 30%. It also increases the risk of dementia, diabetes, and cancer. It doesn’t have to be this way.

The CreativityHub is a scalable activity that is free and accessible to anyone with an internet connection. The CreativityHub provides a fun way to engage in artistic self-expression through simple prompts that are easy to complete, with no previous creative experience or skills needed. It gives people a sense of achievement, helps them develop meaningful connections, and improves their ability to deal with stress and adversity.

The multi-faceted challenges of uncertain times can drive people apart, leading to social isolation and loneliness. Through the arts, we can help individuals create and express their way out of loneliness, build deeper social connections, and enhance their mental and physical well-being.

February 28, 2025

Creating and appreciating art engages our social brains!

According to a recent study by neuroscientist Janneke van Leeuwen, PhD, art interpretation stimulates blood flow in the same brain regions involved in social connection.

The exciting implication of this research is that art has a biological function. Beyond entertaining and inspiring us, art can also help us make sense of our social world.

How did van Leeuwen uncover this exciting connection between social processing and art appreciation?

First, she and her research team reviewed the “social brain atlas,” a framework that Daniel Alcalá-López, PhD and his colleagues created from MRI studies of brain networks involved in social engagement.

Then, Van Leeuwen correlated those areas of brain function with the cognitive processes required for creative tasks like assessing the meaning of a work of art. Lastly, she combined those findings into a single brain map.

Her brain map shows close overlap between the parts of the brain involved in social processing and the parts of the brain involved in creative engagement. Specifically, the map illustrates four brain networks involved in both social and creative tasks:

Network 1: Seeing
Network 2: Feeling
Network 3: Interacting
Network 4: Meaning-Making

For example, Network 1 allows us to not only observe a friend’s facial expressions, but also analyze shapes, lines, and colors. Network 4 helps us perform more complex tasks, like reflecting on our relationships and appreciating works of art.

Check out van Leeuwen’s article for a more technical overview of these cognitive processes.

Humans are innately both social and creative, but van Leeuwen’s research is one of the first studies to showcase a clear connection between these two fundamental traits. It introduces the exciting possibility that creative expression is even more important to our humanity and social connections than we may realize. In other words, maybe art is more than just a hobby. Maybe art is an essential tool for navigating our lives as social beings.

Want to dive deeper into the link between arts engagement and social connection? Here are a few next steps we recommend:

• Watch “Embrace Your Signal,” an exciting video about the ways art rewires our brains and opens us up to social connection.
• Browse 125+ short films that address themes of loneliness and connection.
• Explore arts-based programs for colleges and universities, healthcare organizations, workplaces, and community-based organizations.

January 17, 2025

We hope your year is off to a great start! As we ring in the new year, we’ve curated a list of five content recommendations to help you embrace the healing power of creative engagement in 2025 and beyond. Let’s dive in!

1. Your Brain On Art by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross

Format: Book (304 pages)
Summary: Through the lens of “neuroarts,” Your Brain On Art illuminates the many ways aesthetic experiences rewire our brains, improve our health, and enrich our lives. This New York Times Bestseller spotlights a range of examples from the field, including the story of our founder, Jeremy Nobel, MD, MPH and his work to improve health and wellbeing through Project UnLonely, an arts-based public health program. Learn more.

Why we love this book: Not only does Your Brain On Art directly reference our work, but it also paints a compelling, evidence-backed picture of why creative experiences matter to our wellbeing, both individually and collectively. Watch our new video “Embrace Your Signal: Loneliness, Art, and the Brain” to learn more about how creative making and conversation rewire our brains and behaviors for the better: https://www.artandhealing.org/announcing-embrace-your-signal-loneliness-art-and-the-brain/

2. “Culture and Heritage Capital: Monetising the Impact of Culture and Heritage on Health and Wellbeing” by Frontier Economics

Format: Research Paper (191 pages)
Summary: This groundbreaking report commissioned by the United Kingdom’s Department for Culture, Media, and Sport shows that engaging in creative experiences—from drawing classes to music performances—measurably improves people’s wellbeing and productivity, translating to £8bn in cost savings for the national healthcare system. These benefits span a wide range of populations, including children ages 10-14, young adults ages 18-28, middle-aged adults ages 30-49, and older adults over 50. Read the full report or check out this article from The Guardian summarizing the paper’s findings!

Why we love this research paper: We’re inspired by the depth and breadth of this impactful study. Not only does it highlight the ways arts-based experiences can benefit people of all ages, but it also showcases the wide range of activities that fall under the healing arts umbrella: visiting a museum, seeing a concert, playing an instrument, drawing a picture, tending a garden, or simply “making things.” There are so many ways to integrate the arts into your daily life! In the words of our founder and president Jeremy Nobel, MD, MPH, “Art is a medicine that requires no prescription.”

3. “The Cure for Loneliness” with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and Simon Sinek

Format: Video (50 minutes)
Summary: Can social interaction make us healthier? U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy thinks so. In this inspiring conversation with Simon Sinek, Dr. Murthy shares how connecting with others can transform us for the better. He walks through why simply showing up is one of the best ways to support the people in our lives. He notes that inviting people over for casual hangouts is a great way to overcome loneliness. And he explores the ways relationships, purpose, and service can improve our mental and physical health. Watch the video.

Why we love this video: Loneliness is a helpful signal that we need connection. And we couldn’t agree more with Dr. Murthy’s discussion of the health benefits of interpersonal connection. To dive deeper into strategies for overcoming modern loneliness, check out our founder and president Jeremy Nobel, MD, MPH’s book, Project UnLonely: Healing Our Crisis of Disconnection: https://www.artandhealing.org/book/.

4. “Looking for Friends? Start With Family” by Tom Vanderbilt

Format: Article (5-minute read)
Summary: Family ties can be an untapped source of social connection! In a recent article for The New York Times, writer Tom Vanderbilt shares how his brother-in-law, Rob, became his best friend. An important part of their friendship has been working together on creative projects—from a restaurant business to a D.I.Y. backyard shed. Read Tom’s story.

Why we love this article: We believe in the power of creative projects to bring us closer to ourselves and to one another. Anyone can use arts-based activities to feel more connected to family and friends! Visit our website for some ideas to get you started: https://www.artandhealing.org/be-unlonely/#make-something

5. “Why a ‘Third Life’ Is the Answer to America’s Loneliness Epidemic” by Adam Chandler

Format: Article (5-minute read)
Summary: Want to feel more connected to your community in 2025? Spend time in third spaces! In an article for TIME Magazine, journalist Adam Chandler defines “third spaces” as “informal spots to gather outside of home and work for socializing.” Think: coffee shops, libraries, museums, and places of worship. These casual community spaces have declined in popularity over the years. But Chandler says they’re essential to reducing loneliness and boosting our physical, social, and emotional health! Read the article.

Why we love this article: At FAH, we are firm believers in the healing power of connecting with members of our local communities. Learn how we partner with community-based organizations—including “third spaces” like libraries and community centers—to deliver creative arts programs that support personal and public health: https://www.artandhealing.org/community-programs-2/.

Let’s stay connected!

For more content on the health benefits of creative engagement, visit our blog or follow The Foundation for Art & Healing on Instagram or LinkedIn.

December 17, 2024

Over half of Americans are lonely. In Maine, potluck dinners are helping.

Sharing food and stories helps foster the connection our times so desperately need.

“Be curious. Make things. Have conversations.” That’s the three-step prescription for addressing loneliness from Dr. Jeremy Nobel, a Harvard Medical School faculty member and author of the book Project UnLonely: Healing our Crisis of Disconnection (and a member of the Community Plate advisory board). At a community potluck, those three elements are built in. Meeting new people and learning about their dishes naturally foster inquisitiveness. Preparing and sharing your own dish is an act of creativity and bravery. Conversations naturally follow — and the result is connection and community.”

December 5, 2024

Loneliness affects us all — but it impacts two populations the most: older adults and young adults ages 18-28. For both groups, intergenerational programs can be a win-win, counteracting isolation and fostering deeper levels of connection and belonging.

Connecting across generations at UVM

One great example of intergenerational programming in action was a recent event held by our friends at the University of Vermont (UVM). On Sunday November 3, 2024, the UVM Center on Aging held a special screening of two films, “Between the Silence” and “Dial a Ride,” from our Project UnLonely Films library, a collection of short films offering diverse, destigmatizing perspectives on loneliness, connection, and belonging. Attendees included a mix of 30 college students, faculty, and older adults from the community. The purpose of the gathering? To foster learning across generations at UVM.

A young participant shared, “I really enjoyed this event and the emphasis on storytelling and saving those stories. As someone from a younger generation, I really value the stories and advice I hear from those older than me. I also think the older generations like to see young faces and hear from us as well. This event opened a lot of topics for reflection that I will continue to think about.”

Marissa Birne, the Center on Aging’s Associate Director of Education, said the screening “inspired thoughtful dialogue about the need to reach out and connect with others, even when it’s difficult.” Marissa and her team look forward to organizing additional screenings throughout the year. They already have another intergenerational screening event on the calendar for January 26, 2025!

Benefits of film screenings

Whether you work for a college or university, library, museum, faith-based organization, assisted living facility, or other community-based organization, intergenerational film screenings can be a wonderful way to spark authentic — often unexpected — connections in your community.

By creating a shared emotional and aesthetic experience, films can serve as powerful conversation starters that help people express themselves authentically and learn from one another. A recent Stanford study even found that films can measurably increase empathy for stigmatized groups, suggesting that films can play a role in strengthening social connectedness.

How to host a film screening

In a few simple steps, you can bring the benefits of film appreciation to your community!

1. Decide on your goal for the screening. What kinds of conversations or behaviors do you aim to inspire? How do you hope this screening will impact your community?
2. Identify your target audience. Are there particular groups or populations you’d like to include in your screening? Will the screening be open to the public, or will it be a private, invitation-only event?
3. Choose 2-3 short films that you think might resonate with your audience and goals.
4. Prepare to host. Send an invitation with a Zoom link or in-person meeting instructions. Make sure the space where you’ll meet is comfortable and accessible for all!
5. Create digital and physical promotional materials that capture the who, what, where, when, and why of your event.
6. Spread the word via social media platforms, newsletters, flyers, and other channels that are relevant to your audience.
7. Order snacks and drinks to keep folks hydrated and nourished during the event. Identify any allergies or sensitivities in advance.
8. Create a list of discussion prompts to help participants share and reflect. Here are a few examples: “Did you relate to any characters in the film? If so, why? What do you think is the moral of this story?”
9. Watch the films together! Encourage participants to notice their feelings, thoughts, and reactions as they watch.
10. Have a conversation. Have a group discussion where everyone gets time and space to share. Encourage participants to be open, honest, and respectful.
11. Gather feedback from participants through a physical or digital survey. We have one you can use! Reach out to us at programs@artandhealing.org

Please let us know if you are planning to host a film screening using Project UnLonely Films! We’d love to hear about your plans, and we’re happy to provide support or answer any questions you might have. We’re also developing some new tools to help you effectively host a screening that we’re happy to share. Please reach out to us at programs@artandhealing.org.

Explore our library of 125+ Project UnLonely Films and sort by topic to choose content that aligns with your goals.

Good luck!

November 8, 2024

Loneliness can kill you. But it doesn’t have to.

Thanks to modern imaging technology, scientists have more insight than ever before into the ways loneliness and creative expression affect the brain. Recent research has shown that chronic loneliness increases inflammation, weakens immune function, and fuels negative thought patterns that make it hard to connect with others. But art reduces stress and boosts the production of feel-good hormones, opening people up to the connections they need to thrive. In other words, art is more than just a creative hobby. It’s an essential tool for leading a healthy, connected life.

In an exciting new video called “Embrace Your Signal: Loneliness, Art, and the Brain,” we share the proven ways art shapes our minds and behavior for the better. In just under three minutes, the video uses simple visuals to illustrate the ways art rewires the lonely brain.

Prefer to watch and share on YouTube? Click here.

If you have any questions about the video or about how to best share it with your community, please reach out to our team any time at info@artandhealing.org.

Access the full video transcription below.

How to share this video with your community

Whether you’re a program manager, educator, or direct service provider, we encourage you to use this video as a teaching tool in your community. This content may be especially relevant for organizations running programs to address the loneliness epidemic—including healthcare institutions, colleges and universities, assisted living facilities, faith-based organizations, libraries, museums, and other community-based organizations.

Here are a few ways you can use the video to raise awareness of the ways art can positively impact the lonely brain:

• Embed the video on your website
• Include the video in an email newsletter
• Add the video to printed materials using a QR code
• Add the video to a course syllabus
• Play and discuss the video at an in-person event

October 24, 2024

What a night! We’re feeling grateful, energized, and inspired after an unforgettable 20th Anniversary Celebration at Alvin Ailey Studios on October 15th. The event was sold out with over 200 friends and colleagues who share our commitment to arts and health. Thank you to our remarkable community for joining us in New York City and bringing our event’s theme of “Connection” to life.

One of the highlights of the evening was our series of interactive art-making stations! We loved sharing and connecting through creative activities like thumbprint portraits and six-word stories.

We’re grateful to our talented host Kate Snow and to our thoughtful speakers Myrna Chao, Dr. Joel Katz, Christina Norman, and Steve Buscemi, for giving such inspirational remarks on the healing power of creative expression. And thanks to Catherine Cabeen for getting us on our feet and teaching us about the intersections between movement and mindfulness.

Thanks to our longtime partner Awakened Films for documenting the evening, to Brett Phares from aweStruct for introducing us to the power of arts in projection, and to the Lifecrafting team for their instrumental work in helping us design a series of playful yet poignant art activations that got everyone engaged.

We’d also like to thank our board, staff, volunteers, and generous supporters for all you’ve done to advance our efforts at the intersection of art-making and public health. We look forward to even more collaboration and connection in the years to come!

At our event, we announced that two donors are generously matching all gifts from now until December 31st in a 2-to-1 match up to $100,000. That means that a gift of $500 turns into $1,500 for The Foundation for Art & Healing! With your help, we can maximize these matching gifts so that our $100,000 goal will become $300,000 at the end of the year! By making a gift today, you could triple your impact and bring the healing power of creative expression to even more individuals, campuses, and community organizations across the country.

::: Make a gift :::

Thank you again for being a part of our incredible journey. Together, there’s no limit to what we can accomplish in the name of arts and health.

We’ll be sharing Awakened Films’ official photos and videos of the celebration soon, but in the meantime, here are some candids:

September 24, 2024

For Immediate Release

September 24, 2024

The Foundation for Art & Healing Announces NBC News’s Kate Snow as Host for 20th Anniversary Celebration

New York, NY – The Foundation for Art & Healing is thrilled to announce that award-winning NBC News journalist and anchor Kate Snow will host the organization’s 20th Anniversary celebration in New York City on October 15, 2024. The event will be held at the Alvin Ailey Studios in Manhattan and will feature an evening of performances, honors, and reflections on the Foundation’s journey since its founding by Jeremy Nobel, MD, MPH in 2004.

Kate Snow, who has long supported mental health awareness and has profiled The Foundation’s work on combating loneliness, will be returning as host for the event. Snow’s connection with The Foundation spans many years, including her participation in events promoting Project UnLonely Films, an initiative that leverages the power of the arts to address loneliness and foster social connection.

“I am honored to be part of this special evening celebrating two decades of impactful work by The Foundation for Art & Healing,” said Kate Snow. “As someone who has followed their journey closely, I’ve seen firsthand the powerful role the arts can play in healing and fostering connection. I look forward to celebrating their achievements and the incredible individuals who have contributed to this important cause.”

The event will not only mark The Foundation’s 20th anniversary but also honor Myrna Chao and Joel Katz, MD for their significant contributions in arts and health. A panel discussion will feature our honorees with special guest Christina Norman, Chief Creative Officer of the popular storytelling organization, The Moth. A highlight of the evening will be a video appearance by acclaimed actor and director Steve Buscemi, The Foundation’s Ambassador for Project UnLonely Films, who will share his thoughts on the importance of community and connection.

Jeremy Nobel, MD, MPH, Founder and President of The Foundation for Art & Healing, expressed his excitement for the event and gratitude to Kate Snow for her ongoing support. “We are delighted to have Kate Snow return as our host for this milestone celebration. Her deep understanding of our mission and her commitment to raising awareness around the issue of loneliness makes her the perfect choice to lead this special evening. We are looking forward to celebrating the incredible journey of The Foundation and the many people who have been part of it.”

The 20th Anniversary celebration will be a night to remember, bringing together supporters, artists, and advocates to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and look forward to a future where the arts continue to play a critical role in health and well-being.

Information on the event, including registration and sponsorship information, can be found on The Foundation’s website.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Chris Doucette, chris@artandhealing.org

About The Foundation for Art & Healing
The Foundation for Art & Healing (FAH) champions creative arts expression as a path to improved health and wellbeing for individuals and communities. We do this through programs that are rooted in medicine and science, and by leveraging collaborative partnerships that sustain our efforts and amplify our reach.

About Kate Snow
Kate Snow is the co-anchor of NBC News Daily, the #1 afternoon news program in all of TV, and an award-winning Senior National Correspondent for NBC News. She contributes regularly across NBC News and MSNBC platforms, including for Nightly News with Lester Holt, TODAY, and Dateline NBC. Previously, she anchored the Sunday edition of NBC Nightly News for more than 8 years.

March 27, 2024