Art 4 New York

Our Program
arts and creative

Medicine 4 the Soul

Art 4 new york (a4ny) believes that the arts and creative expression are a great way to bring people together and promote health and wellness. But many of the seniors in our city’s nursing homes don’t have access to the arts — at a time in their lives when it could provide important opportunities for positive social interaction and alleviate one of the biggest challenges they face: loneliness.

Programs that get seniors ‘up and moving’ with the arts — like theater, music, and dance — have been proven to prolong life, improve blood pressure, and support wellbeing.

About Medicine 4 the Soul

A4NY’s flagship program, Medicine 4 the Soul, brings volunteer artists from around the city to nursing homes, where we perform songs from popular plays and engage in other arts-related activities with seniors — bringing hope, creativity, and fun to those that need it most.

The program lessens loneliness and isolation in nursing homes by:

Supporting the development of new friendships between residents: Whether it’s a connection that lasts a lifetime or just a good conversation, we create a safe space in which residents can connect with other people on a personal level.

Removing transportation and mobility barriers:

Many seniors don’t have the transportation needed to visit arts institutions (i.e. theatres or museums) or may have physical or mobility challenges. Medicine 4 the Soul brings the arts to them.

Providing a meaningful experience for volunteers & seniors:

Our volunteers don’t just bring joy to nursing home residents; the residents also bring joy to them. A4NY’s volunteer artists have unanimously stated, again and again, that they find the experience of volunteering at the nursing home incredibly rewarding.

Are you a performer? Do you love to sing, act, dance, or paint? We’d love to have you volunteer with us!

Whether you’ve been performing for years, or you’re just starting out, a4ny's motto is "come as you are."

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