Why the arts improve health

Many studies show people are healthier when they paint, play music or even just sit in the theatre audience but now researchers are casting a light on why.
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You don’t have to be a ballerina to dance Photo: These Americans

The list of studies that show better health outcomes for people who have the arts in their lives is now so long that the headline ‘Study shows arts improve health’ – though still common – is akin to writing ‘Study shows smoking causes cancer’.

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Deborah Stone
About the Author
Deborah Stone is a Melbourne journalist and communications professional. She is a former Editor of ArtsHub and a former Fairfax feature writer.