Chris Appleton: Prescribing Art as Medicine

Chris Appleton is the founder and CEO of Art Pharmacy, a pioneering initiative using social prescribing to integrate the arts into healthcare and improve mental well-being. A leader in arts and social impact, his work has been featured in The New York Times, CNN, and NPR. With a background in nonprofit leadership Chris is redefining healing one creative prescription at a time. 

This episode: 

What if a doctor’s prescription didn’t lead you to a pharmacy, but to a painting class, a dance performance, or a music workshop? For centuries, artists have played a vital role in well-being, and cultures around the world have embraced the arts as a source of health, community, and renewal. Now, social prescribing is reshaping healthcare by integrating the arts, not just as enrichment but as a science-backed tool for improving both mental and physical health. 

Decades of research show that engaging in the arts can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, strengthen the immune system, and improve cognitive function. As the founder and CEO of Art Pharmacy, Chris Appleton is proving that creative engagement is more than a feel-good activity. It is a legitimate, measurable intervention that enhances health outcomes. By working with healthcare providers and insurers, he is building a system where doctors can prescribe the arts just like they would medication or therapy. 

Grant and Chris also explore how programs like Prebys Foundation’s Healing Through Arts and Nature initiative are improving community health through greater access to arts, culture, and nature. Grant shares how his own experience stepping onto the dance floor at a recent grantee event led to an unexpected moment of joy, connection, and uplifted spirits that reinforced the power of the arts in fostering well-being.

🎧 Tune in as Grant and Chris discuss why the healthcare system has been slow to adopt this approach, how social prescribing is gaining momentum, and what it means for the future of holistic healing.

Key Moments: 

• [4:11] What Art Pharmacy is and how social prescribing connects people to creative experiences for better health 
• [9:21] Why social prescribing can be a powerful, less stigmatized intervention in the mental health crisis 
• [12:03] How an older man’s social prescription led him to rediscover his community’s cultural vibrancy 
• [17:48] The importance of prevention and early intervention in healthcare 
• [25:45] Why integrating arts and nature into healthcare is key to long-term well-being 
• [30:51] The essential metrics that prove the success of social prescribing programs. 
• [42:18] Chris’s top goals for Art Pharmacy in the next three years 

Resources Mentioned in This Episode 

• Prebys’ Healing Through Arts and Nature Initiative – Prebys Foundation’s grant initiative aiming to improve community health and well-being through access to arts, culture, and nature. 
• Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins – A research initiative exploring the connection between neuroscience and the arts. 
• Your Brain on Art by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross – A book on neuroaesthetics and how the arts shape our brains and bodies. 
• University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine – A leading institution in arts and health research with research director Jill Sonke. 
• Jameel Arts & Health Lab – A global initiative focused on measurably improving health and well-being through the arts.  

5 Things You Can Do

1. Engage with the Arts – Attend a local performance, visit an art exhibit, or try a creative activity like painting, dance, or music. Experience firsthand how the arts can foster connection and well-being. 
2. Learn More About Social Prescribing – Read Your Brain on Art by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross or explore initiatives like Healing Through Arts and Nature to see how creati