Residents in the metro Denver area have embraced the “arts for everybody” concept since 1988 when they voted to approve the SCFD cultural tax, which supports our thriving arts community. So when a national effort emerged that aimed to unite communities to influence health and wellbeing, it felt natural to elevate the project locally.

“Arts for EveryBody” is an initiative by One Nation/One Project that aims to demonstrate how the arts can lead to healthier people and healthier communities.

The effort launches on July 27, 2024 in 18 cities, counties and towns across America in which artists, civic leaders and community health providers will simultaneously premiere a variety of large-scale participatory art projects — all of which were created in response to “No place like home.”

“We hope the legacy of our project will be an arts-infused civic infrastructure,” said the project’s co-artistic director Clyde Valentin, “a new system of programs based on the realization that imagination and creative collaboration can help to solve health and civic challenges.”

From the culmination of year-long artistic endeavors showcased on Hawai‘I Island to the Summer You(th) Celebration in Gainesville, FL. From the Mountains of Appalachian Music Arts and Wellness Festival in Harlan County, KY to an artistic project that highlights the struggle for  clean drinking water in Phillips County, AR, the day-long celebration launches a heightened awareness that shines a light on the connection between the arts and healthy lives. These projects will invite neighbors to dance, sing and draw together, creating social bonds that can unite communities in a time of extreme social polarization.

“When the pandemic closed the doors of performing arts venues, museums, and community arts centers across the country, we experienced an enormous void and isolation,” said the project’s co-artistic director and former DCPA Theatre Company Associate Artistic Director Nataki Garrett. “We now understand that art is integral to our society because it plays a critical role in community health and wellbeing. When we invest in making the arts accessible to all, we invest in the fabric of our society. Arts for EveryBody is not just a name, it is a necessity.”

According to the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA), the arts industry in metro Denver employees 13,550 people, entertains 12.9 guests, engages with 3.8 million students and drives $2.6 billion in economic activity. So it’s no surprise that there is a meaningful connection to the health and wellbeing of our residents. Perhaps a direct correlation can be made between Colorado having the highest attendance per capita at visual and performing arts events in the U.S. at a whopping 74.4% and being the ninth healthiest state in the nation.

Time may tell as Arts for EveryBody has commissioned Dr. Jill Sonke, Ph.D. at the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine to conduct an in-depth research study about the relationship between arts and health in the U.S.

In the meantime, participating in any cultural activity may be just what the doctor ordered. For a listing of free SCFD-funded events in metro Denver, visit scfd.org. And if you’re traveling across the country this summer, seek out one of these Arts for EveryBody events:

Chicago, IL
A program that places artists centered in creative therapy into City-run mental health clinics

Chicago, IL (IMAN)
Reactivation of an area of urban decay that celebrates the community’s culture and traditions

Edinburg, TX
A showcase of inspiring murals that demonstrate the community’s resilience

Gainesville, FL
A collection of numerous arts projects with themes of gun violence, safety and mental health

Harlan County,  KY
Healthcare providers and local artists integrates art into rural healthcare delivery

Hawai‘I Island
Artistic showcases highlight visual arts, weavings, theatre, music, quilting, writing and more

Honolulu, HI
Place-based and community gatherings centered on reawakening ancestral stories

Kansas City, MO
CELEBRATE AMERI’KANA: a music and arts festival highlighting BIPOC youth artists

Oakland, CA
Artists, activists and organizers create a cultural festival focused on the cost of living

Phillips County, AR
Water Stories Project: Art projects that illustrate the county’s water infrastructure crisis

Providence, RI
Artist Residencies a public housing sites to boost mental and behavioral health

Rhinelander, WI
An arts skatepark designed by local youth that provides support for teenage mental health

Seattle, WA
A celebration of Seattle’s Chinatown and its artistic vibrancy using music, dance and mixed media

The Bronx, NY
One of the first health-provider “prescribed” arts experiences for patients

Tucson, AZ
A theatrical showcase aimed at emphasizing the role arts play in the well-being of communities

Utica, MS
A project utilizing storytelling, resource mapping and prototypes to aid in access to food

Washington, DC
Arts education pairs with local artists to offer Hip-Hop, Punk, Go-Go, and performance poetry

Winston-Salem, NC
Public works art performance projects intended to increase community connection