Arts and culture enrich our lives, our communities, and our nation. In this pivotal moment in our history, there is a growing recognition that the arts reveal new ideas, unlock opportunities, and help us confront the many challenges before us. On January 30, 2024, the White House Domestic Policy Council and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) co-hosted Healing, Bridging, Thriving: A Summit on Arts and Culture in our Communities, a first-of-its-kind convening to share insights and explore opportunities for arts organizations and artists to contribute to the health and well-being of individuals and communities, invigorate physical spaces, fuel democracy, and foster equitable outcomes. In this blog series, you’ll hear from the many diverse perspectives represented at the event—including government officials, policymakers, artists, advocates, academics, and arts leaders—as they share what ideas and inspiration they took from the experience, and how they’re working to advance a broader understanding of how arts and culture can contribute to other fields and unlock new opportunities for artists.

Healing, Bridging, Thriving: A Reflection by CAIR Lab (5.20.24)
The members of CAIR Lab reflect on the January 2024 Healing, Bridging, Thriving summit.

Healing, Bridging, Thriving: A Reflection by Krys Holmes of the Montana Arts Council (5.28.24)
Montana Arts Council Executive Director Krys Holmes reflects on the power of the arts, particularly in rural communities.

Healing, Bridging, Thriving: A Reflection on the Climate Arts Caucus (6.3.24)
Denise G. Fairchild, PhD, asks, "How can the cultural arts sector address climate change, one of the most significant challenges of our time?"

Healing, Bridging, Thriving: A Reflection from the Arts and Health Caucus
Drs. Nisha Sajnani, Jill Sonke, and Lisa Wong ponder the potential that the arts have in clinical and public health in the United States.

Healing, Bridging, Thriving: A Reflection from the Creative Youth Development Caucus
Dalouge Smith of The Lewis Prize shares lessons learned at a caucus of Creative Youth Development practitioners as part of the Healing, Bridging, Thriving summit.

Healing, Bridging, Thriving: A Reflection from the Performing Arts Centers Caucus
In the latest entry of our Healing, Bridging, Thriving blog series, Josephine Ramirez of The Music Center shares reflections on the next chapter for performing arts centers.