UNGA Healing Arts Week 2023

On the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly, the Lab held four public and private events that advocated for improved physical, mental, and social health through the arts. These were an art tour at NYC Health + Hospitals Harlem Branch to see powerful murals in action; a high-level arts, health, and climate roundtable at the Lincoln Centre; a WHO75 Wellbeing Concert at Carnegie Hall led by mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato; a Healing Arts Reception attended by Sir Jeremy Farrar (Chief Scientist, WHO), among others; and the announcement of the Lab’s Lancet global research series.

18 September 2023 | Art Tour at NYC Health + Hospitals Harlem Branch

UNGA Healing Arts Week started with a tour of murals at Harlem Hospital with Larissa Trinder (Assistant Vice President, NYC Health + Hospitals Arts in Medicine) and colleagues from the NYC health system), who gave the Lab valuable insight into the impact of the visual arts in hospitals. This complemented the Lab’s research as a functioning example of the critical role of the arts in health outcomes.

19 September 2023 | Arts, Health, and Climate Roundtable

Lincoln Centre

The Arts, Health, and Climate Roundtable and networking lunch at the Lincoln Center explored artistic interpretations towards the climate crisis and was the first arts, health, and climate listening session in the run-up to COP28.

20 September 2023 | WHO75 Wellbeing Concert

Carnegie Hall

The WHO75 Wellbeing Concert at Carnegie Hall featured multi-Grammy award-winning mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, who was accompanied by Metropolitan Opera pianist Howard Watkins. The closed event was hosted by Matthew Steinfeld (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine). The venue was designed especially for local and visiting policy-makers.

20 September 2023 | Healing Arts Reception

Weill Terrace, Carnegie Hall

The Lab, WHO, and the Lancet announced a ground-breaking research series on the health benefits of the arts at a special WHO75 reception at Carnegie Hall. Sir Jeremy Farrar (Chief Scientist, WHO) remarked, "For too long we have seen science and the arts as separate endeavours, but these silos were not always so. Through much of human history, the creative interface of different disciplines has been a catalyst for both innovation and healing. So I am delighted that this Jameel Arts & Health Lab – Lancet global series will show the scientific basis of the arts’ role in health with rigor, and help position artists and scientists as necessary partners towards health and wellbeing for all." During the reception, Sir Jeremy also led an impromptu sing along with the Global Scrub Choir on the Carnegie Hall Roof Terrace.

21 September 2023 | NYU Steinhardt Kickoff Meeting: Lancet Global Series on the Health Benefits of the Arts

NYU Steindhart

This hybrid online–in-person meeting of researchers, artists, and Lancet editors at NYU Steinhardt marked the official start of the JAHL x Lancet Global Series on the Health Benefits of the Arts. The meeting kicked off at the Lab.