This fall, I traveled to New York and New Jersey to participate in the “Season of Convenings,” a series of arts and health–focused events held across the region. While the convenings shared similarities in format and featured some overlapping speakers, each offered its own richness—sparking new ideas, inspiration, and a distinctive perspective. It was a joy to be in community with people from so many sectors, engaging in conversations face-to-face rather than through a screen. Between panels and breakout sessions, performances and interactive activities invited attendees to sing, dance, and take part in the creative energy. Meanwhile, several arts and wellness events were also happening back in Los Angeles. In this blog post, I’m excited to share highlights from these gatherings on both coasts.

United Nations General Assembly Healing Arts Week 2025 (New York City, NY)

September 20 - 26, 2025

Healing Arts Week New York consisted of several events that occurred alongside the week of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Events were scattered throughout the week and across all five boroughs in New York City: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island. Below are some of the events that I participated in:

The Jameel Arts & Health Lab’s annual research symposium which centered its panels and presentations on a core question: What if participation in the arts were viewed as a health behavior comparable to sleep, nutrition, exercise, time in nature, and social connection? It was inspiring to hear from researchers, artists, and practitioners utilizing different art forms to enhance the well-being of various populations. 

In Photo: A panel at the UNGA Research Symposium at NYU Steinhardt. Photo credit: Jennifer Kuo

The Jameel Arts & Health Lab–Lancet Global Series includes a striking photo essay that highlights arts-driven health initiatives from around the world. Published in The Lancet—one of the world’s most respected peer-reviewed medical journals—the collection features 30 images that illuminate what is possible when creativity is integrated into health and well-being. The launch event was held at the Guggenheim Museum and included performances, remarks about a few of the photos from the collection, followed by a reception. 

Carnegie Hall’s Well-Being Concert Series are specially designed musical performances with the focus of self-care and mindfulness. In an intimate space, participants had the option of sitting in chairs or on mats and cushions while they absorbed the soul-nourishing benefits of the music. On this particular night, we experienced a performance by Mexican-American jazz singer, Magos Herrera. 

“Bridging and Strengthening Community, Care, and Culture in the Bronx” was an event hosted by NYC Health + Hospitals. This two-part panel discussed how clinical and cultural systems can work together to address growing mental and public health needs in the Bronx. The first panel delved into the mental health challenges and social determinants affecting patients in city and state hospitals, while the second showcased artists and community leaders who are expanding the borough’s cultural infrastructure. Together, these conversations aimed to envision a Bronx-specific social prescribing framework that links cultural resources with healthcare services, making creative supports more accessible to communities facing the greatest health inequities. Learn more about the UNGA Healing Arts Week at https://www.healingartsnewyork.org/. 

Left: In Photo: A cello performance by Stephanie Winters in front of one of the featured images in the photo essay. Photo Credit: Jennifer Kuo. Middle: In Photo: The set-up of the well-being concert at Carnegie Hall. Photo Credit: Jennifer Kuo. Right: In Photo (left to right): Dr. Nisha Sajnani, Dr. Tyson Bourdeaux, Dr. Nermica Sarcevic, Akhila Khanna, and Larissa Trinder at the Bronx event. Photo credit: Jennifer Kuo

Creating Healthy Communities Convening 2025 (Newark, NJ)

October 14 - 16, 2025

The Creating Healthy Communities (CHC) - Arts in Public Health convening occurs every three years and this year, it was held in Newark and presented by the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine. The sold out conference drew over 500 people from the fields of arts, public health, and healthcare. I had the honor of being part of the Steering Committee to help shape some of the programming and glad that one of the panelists for the “Arts, Culture, and Social Drivers of Health” session included Larry Edmonds, Youth Program Manager at the San Diego American Indian Health Center (SDAIHC) where Indigenous arts and crafts programs help the youth to promote creativity and self-expression.

The two keynote speakers were Marc Bamuthi Joseph (Spoken Word Artist and Cultural Strategist) and Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson (Cultural Policy Expert and former NEA Chair). Dr. Jackson was also part of the 2025 CA Arts & Culture Summit and you can watch her keynote conversation with our CEO, Julie Baker here. I also had the privilege of facilitating the breakout session, “Advancing Arts Prescribing Through Policy and Advocacy” which featured Deborah Cullinan with Stanford University, Chris Appleton with Art Pharmacy, and Alexandra Rodriguez with the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine.

Left: In Photo (left to right): Chris Appleton, Deborah Cullinan, Alexandra Rodriguez, Jennifer Kuo. Photo credit: Jennifer Kuo. Right: In Photo (left to right): Dr. Tasha Golden, Michelle Browder, Dr. David Fakunle, & Larry Edmonds.  Photo credit: NJPAC

The summit offered countless highlights and insights from its many speakers. It was especially energizing to witness strong support from leaders outside the arts sector. Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark delivered uplifting remarks on the transformative power of the arts, while David Erickson, SVP and Head of Community Development at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, affirmed their economic impact, noting that “artists create value and value creates capital.”

Left: In Photo: Mayor Ras Baraka. Photo credit: NJPAC. Right: In Photo: David Erickson. Photo credit: Jennifer Kuo

U.S. Leadership Summit on Social Prescribing (Newark, NJ)

October 17, 2025

Social Prescribing USA hosted this event to further catalyze all of the great energy around social prescribing in the United States. Social prescribing is an approach where healthcare providers suggest community-based, non-clinical and non-pharmaceutical activities, which include the arts, nature, movement, service (volunteerism), and activities that promote belonging. This inaugural event gathered a group of leaders with various expertise and experience along with international leaders from Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.  

Photo credit: Jennifer Kuo

NOAHCON 2025 (New York City, NY)

November 5 - 7, 2025 and November 19, 2025

This year’s NOAHCON hosted by the National Organization for Arts in Health (NOAH) occurred in New York City. Over 400 attendees participated in pre-conference activities, curated plenaries, and presentation sessions. One of the keynotes was given by Ayanna Hudson, Chief Program Officer at Americans for the Arts, who mentioned the work in Los Angeles as an example of the power of local efforts. I presented a poster on “Advocating for Arts Participation as a Health Behavior in Public Health” showcasing the work we’ve been doing at CA for the Arts which you can access here. During one of the lunch breaks, I also appreciated the chance to connect with attendees from state and local arts agencies and learn about their best practices and the challenges they face.

Left: In Photo: Ayanna Hudson. Photo credit: Jennifer Kuo. Middle: Photo credit: Jennifer Kuo. Right: In Photo: (left to right): Jennifer Kuo (California), Khristina Kurasz (Maine), Nathan Zamarron (Kentucky), Jennifer Dreibelbis (Nebraska), Jesse Koza (Kansas), Steven Skerritt-Davis (Maryland), and Kristin Pleasanton (Delaware). Photo credit: Jennifer Kuo

NOAH also offered a virtual day on November 19th that included concurrent sessions and workshops with over 100 registered attendees. One of the virtual sessions was presented by a team from AltaMed, one of the nation’s largest federally qualified health centers, who serve medically marginalized communities in Los Angeles and Orange counties. In their session on “Cultural Relevance in Art and Healing”, they explained how displaying culturally relevant artwork in their clinics help patients to feel seen and represented, while reinforcing the clinic as a safe and trusted environment. Learn more about NOAHCON at https://thenoah.org/noahcon-25/.

Photo credit: AltaMed

CALIFORNIA EVENTS

LA Opera Arts and Health Week Video Series (Los Angeles, CA)

The LA County Arts and Health Week Video Series launched in September and is now available to stream on YouTube here. Arts and health experts explore how creativity empowers us to tackle any challenge with joy and confidence with panels and conversations. I had the honor of sharing the stage with other thought leaders for the “Community Care, Healing, and Resilience Through the Arts” panel. 

On October 5th, after the LA Opera performance of Leonard Bernstein's “West Side Story”, there was a post-performance panel conversation on how the arts transform healing and wellbeing across communities.

In-Photo (left to right): Jennifer Kuo, Karen Anderson, Renée Fleming, Dr. Nisha Sajnani, and Kristin Sakoda. Photo credit: LA Opera

Arts for LA State of the Arts Summit (Los Angeles, CA)

October 8, 2025

Arts for LA hosted their annual State of the Arts Summit with this year’s theme of “Roots, Recovery, & Regeneration”. The programming highlighted our collective need for healing and renewal in the wake of the wildfires, defunded programs, and growing threats to our most vulnerable communities. Over the past year’s critical moments, attendees came together to support one another, safeguard our cultural resources, and envision a more thriving and equitable future.

Some of the team members from CA for the Arts attended this event and NeFesha Yisra’el, Director of Programs, shared “At the summit, a powerful theme emerged: the urgent need to support one another, protect creative freedom, and push for bold, collective action in a time when many arts and culture workers feel increasingly restricted. The keynote with Gustavo Herrera and Erin Harkey challenged us to think radically within systems and to use arts and culture as tools for advocacy and community good. As Erin reminded us, we must “radically imagine a future with creativity and innovation,” and collaboration is essential to our survival.”

CA for the Arts Staff and Board. Left to right: Teri Ball, Nurit Siegel Smith, NeFesha Yisra'el, Sarah Weber, Jennica Bisbee, Josiah Bruny, Jean Young, Rafael González.

Unravelled: A True Story of Transformation (Beverly Hills, CA) 

October 17 - 19, 2025

Unravelled was a 3-day event that featured the world premiere of Jake Broder’s play “Unravelled”, which explores the connection between dementia and creative brilliance”. The performances coincided with a brain health festival that offered free workshops by trained facilitators from the Global Brain Health Institute. Learn more about Unravelled at https://www.unravelledplay.com/.

Photo credit: Global Brain Health Institute

In conclusion, I am still processing the many insights from these convenings and following up with the meaningful connections I made along the way. What is clear is that the field of arts and health is gaining significant momentum. At the same time, challenges remain—ranging from public awareness and workforce development to program implementation, research, economic validation, and policy advancement. Yet one thing is certain: progress will require collaboration across all sectors, and the collective impact has the potential to greatly strengthen the health and well-being of our communities.

Please stay connected with CA for the Arts to see what we are working on to support this arts and health movement. Check out our Arts & Health Initiative webpage and our webinar series on YouTube. We are thankful for the generosity of The Music Man Foundation for supporting this initiative!