Wyoming Area Creative Arts Community on Facebook Follow Us on Youtube Hallberg Center for the Arts on Facebook

Colorful Abstract Banner Image

Art has the power to evoke emotions, convey deeper meanings, and connect with us on an intellectual and personal level. The arts have the power to change the way we see the world.

Artistic expression dates back to our prehuman ancestors, and philosophers have long puzzled over the significance of art and beauty to the human experience.

test


The Health Benefits

A growing mountain of research is showing that engaging with the arts isn’t just a pleasant pastime—it can significantly impact one’s quality of life by improving cognitive ability, mental health, and physical well-being. In fact, engaging with the arts can change the neural pathways in our brains. A new field of study, neuroaesthetics, focuses specifically on exploring how the brain responds to art, beauty, and other aesthetic stimuli.


Reports show that both creating and seeing art instill a more positive outlook on the future.




What research is showing us:

  • Research shows people engage with the arts in a variety of ways, sometimes reporting transformative experiences.
  • When interacting with art one finds meaningful, the default mode network—a brain region associated with introspection—is engaged.
  • Aesthetic experiences may promote positive outcomes such as empathy, social connection, and cross-cultural understanding.
  • Art can raise serotonin levels
  • Creating and seeing art can increase blood flow to the part of the brain associated with pleasure, fostering new ways of thinking
  • Can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and help to protect against cognitive decline and reduce the risk of dementia