Abstract

The area of arts and health in the UK has expanded considerably in the last decades, as the nature and scope has become more diverse, and the target «audience' has broadened from one in which the arts are employed or presented in healthcare environments to people suffering various forms of illhealth, to one in which the focus is on the health and well-being of the whole population. The reasons for this are explained as the article traces the emergence of arts and health as a public policy issue and indicates the growth of research interest and evaluation in the quest for more evidence of impacts to justify funding and greater acceptance in the medical field. Today there may be greater political recognition of the value of arts and health, but given the present financial constraints, some concerns for its future growth and sustainability are identified.