Who We Are
HEARTS: Health & Arts is dedicated to creating a culture of health and well-being, where creative, artistic expression nurtures and heals individuals and diverse communities, helping them flourish. Through engagement with artistic forms that heal, HEARTS nourishes individuals, communities and society.
We stand with those calling for action to change structures and policies that have enabled and permitted inequities, systemic racism and violence to occur, and we seek to employ the arts as a means to achieve justice and equal opportunity for all people.
Nightingale Film Musical
Nightingale: Regarding the Life & Passion of Miss Florence Nightingale
Music, Book & Lyrics by Pamela Gerke
CLICK HERE to see it on YouTube.
CLICK HERE to see the Trailer.
CLICK HERE to see a short documentary about the film's audacious editing process during COVID.
Image: Florence Nightingale by Mary L. Gerke
Projects & Research
ANNOUNCING:
"Conversations With The Seeress"
We are pleased to announce our curated list of articles, databases, organizations, and other resources in this growing field, and a new project by Connie Amundson, DC, MA, PhC.
HEARTS supports projects and research on the impact of the arts to create a "culture of health." We love the integration between expression, music, language, community, and emotional & social health!
HEARTS: Health Enriched by the Arts
HEARTS stands for Health Enriched by the Arts. In choosing this acronym we are inspired by an emerging worldwide phenomenon: across the globe, national and regional governments, arts organizations, and passionate individuals are looking to the creative arts as a means of enhancing the health of individuals and their societies.
Our intention is to contribute significantly to this movement via three avenues:
- Health and Arts Projects: producing music and drama that create a “culture of health”
- Program Evaluation: contributing to the growing body of research in Health and Arts through the assessment of the impact of our projects on health and quality of life
- Health and Arts Publications: articles, posts, videos, and other additions to the collective body of knowledge about creating health through the arts, in both academic and general interest publications
A “culture of health” is one in which well-being is a priority that permeates all aspects of society. Since ancient times, music, dance, theater, and the visual arts have been linked with healing of individuals and communities. With the Western world’s emphasis on biomedicine, we tend to lose sight of the larger picture that embraces the totality of human experience. However, health practitioners, researchers, and governments around the world are (re)discovering that by accessing the wellspring of our creativity we open ourselves to our innate sense of well-being, health, and happiness.
Donate Now
HEARTS: Health Enriched by the Arts in a tax-exempt, non-profit organization, incorporated in the state of Washington. We are supported by donations from individuals and organizations who champion our work. Please consider contributing to our efforts to foster health through the arts!