Art on Prescription: How Museums and Creative Activities Are Becoming Medical Treatments

A growing body of evidence from the WHO and international studies supports the health benefits of active and passive artistic practices. In Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Nordic European countries, 'art on prescription' programs have been piloted over the past decade. These initiatives, part of the broader 'social prescription' model, allow doctors to refer patients to a 'link worker' who connects them with community-based activities such as gardening (green gyms), museum visits, creative workshops, and mindfulness sessions. The approach targets non-medical causes of distress—like loneliness and mild mental health issues—that account for two-thirds of doctor visits according to researcher Daisy Fancourt. By addressing root causes, art on prescription reduces unnecessary healthcare costs and pressure on medical systems. In the UK, the model has shown a cost saving of over 25% compared to traditional treatments, with patients often seeing a link worker within 48 hours versus weeks for a psychiatrist. The practice remains rare in Italy despite its cultural heritage, highlighting a gap in integrating arts into public health.