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Bridging Arts and Public Health: A New Framework for Collaboration

Imagine a doctor prescribing a music class to manage chronic pain, or a public health campaign using theater to address mental health stigma. These scenarios are increasingly common as the links among arts, culture, and public health expand. At the same time, in conversations with public health professionals over the years, I've encountered a paradox: While there's clear interest in art's potential to enhance public health, many struggle to translate that interest into action. The sheer breadth of “arts and culture” makes it challenging to get concrete and specific about its applications to health goals. The public health and arts sectors have both needed structure and direction to guide more cross-sector action and innovation.

ResearchWehida NiaziSeptember 13, 2024music, Mental health, public health

Fracturing the Black Nucleus: Reflections on School Desegregation in Texas Through the Lens of Black Orchestra Students

Centering the voices and experiences of Black string musicians supported by historical context was our main priority when writing this article. We initially thought there would be an increase in representation after the full integration of music competitions; however, the opposite was true.

Struggling with good intentions: Music education research in a “post” world

Like many other disciplines — or at least those in the Westernized Global North with which I am familiar — my discipline of music education has been grappling of late with the question of what it means to ethically conduct research in the 21st century.