How can we build healthier communities, as people, as artists, as friends, as a country?
On July 27th, hundreds of artists in 18 cities across America worked together to find out.
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At a moment when Americans face acute challenges to their individual and collective wellbeing, the audacious new campaign from One Nation/One Project titled Arts For EveryBody is about to prove how the arts can lead to healthier people and healthier communities. Inspired by the 1936 Federal Theatre Project where 18 cities and towns presented their own interpretations of the anti-fascist play “It Can't Happen Here,” Arts For EveryBody will bring together people and communities.
On July 27, 2024, artists, civic leaders, and community health providers in 18 cities and towns across America will simultaneously premiere an array of large-scale participatory art projects which will draw on the sounds, styles, and stories of their communities to answer the prompt “No place like home.”
In big cities and rural counties, hundreds of actors, muralists, poets, folk dancers, circus clowns, farmers, flower artists, skaters, cooks, architects, DJs, puppeteers, nurses, mariachi players, bamboo weavers and more will create new works that show the world where they come from. The result will be a celebration of American pluralism–of unity through diversity. From Seattle to Gainesville, from Providence to Honolulu, it will be an outpouring of local joy.
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Arts For EveryBody aims to do more than entertain, inspire, and galvanize: it marks a breakthrough moment in the relationship between the arts and health in America.
Arts for EveryBody has commissioned a series of research studies to be led by Dr. Jill Sonke, Ph.D., at the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine to examine the connection between arts participation and the health of a community. The first of four studies in the series examined and defined “arts participation,” which was recently published in Health Promotion Practice Journal.
View Article -
Older adults who participate in the arts report a 48% lower risk of depression and a 44% reduction in dementia; the health benefits of arts participation are equivalent to the benefits of weekly exercise. Participating in the arts reduces stress and loneliness, which are risk factors for a wide range of ailments, including hypertension and heart disease. There are also social benefits - young adults are more likely to stay in school and 4 out of 5 young adults who had arts rich experiences are more likely to vote.
Arts For EveryBody is led by One Nation/One Project (ONOP), a national arts and health initiative designed to activate the power of the arts to help repair the social fabric of our nation and heal our communities. Learn more about One Nation/One Project here.
Read the full press release here
Learn more about the mental and physical benefits of arts participation here.
Watch the tailer for the July 27 Event
Listen To The New Single
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John Forté was commissioned to lead the development of a song in support of the Arts for Everybody national arts and health campaign. The song was designed to incorporate several artist participants from across various sites and includes contributions from Edinburg (TX), Kansas City (MO), Chicago (IL), and Phillips County (AR). The song title "You Are Home / You Are Loved" references the theme driving many of the site's artistic projects premiering on July 27, 2024 – "No Place Like Home." Its featured artists include John Forté, Binta, Making Movies, Olivia Mills, and the Living Waters Gospel Choir. You are invited to clap your hands and sing along!
"You Are Home / You Are Loved"
John Forté (feat. Binta, Making Movies, Living Waters Gospel Choir, Olivia Mills)Composed By:
John Forté
Binta Diallo
Daniel Kulasik
Enrique ChiWritten By:
John FortéProduced By:
John FortéCo-Produced By:
Clyde Valentin
Brian SatzPerformers:
John Forté - Vocals, Guitar
Binta Diallo - Vocals
Olivia Mills - Vocals
Duncan Burnett - Percussion
Enrique Chi - Vocals, Guitar (ENRIQUE CHI ASCAP - #549986380)
Jesus Villegas - Trumpet
Brenda Hughes - Vocals
MaryAnn Hughes Goldsberry - Vocals
Lita Moore-Johnson - Vocals
Maple Edwards - Vocals
JT White - VocalsAvailable on all the major platforms and available for download
Introducing the #ArtsForEveryBody Ambassadors
Debbie Allen
Jerry Trainor
Leo González
Jay Ellis
Sarah Gilman
Ayesha Perry-Iqbal
Yaya daCosta
Jillian Mercado
Emily Tosta
Craig Robinson
Quinn XCII
Guillermo Diaz
Nikkolas Smith
Jon Huertas
Aloe Blacc
Julissa Calderon
Maiara Walsh
Angell Conwell
Akilah Hughes
Sara Seyed
Andre Royo
Eddie James Olmos
Lauren Siyowin
Samuel L. Jackson
Debbie Allen Jerry Trainor Leo González Jay Ellis Sarah Gilman Ayesha Perry-Iqbal Yaya daCosta Jillian Mercado Emily Tosta Craig Robinson Quinn XCII Guillermo Diaz Nikkolas Smith Jon Huertas Aloe Blacc Julissa Calderon Maiara Walsh Angell Conwell Akilah Hughes Sara Seyed Andre Royo Eddie James Olmos Lauren Siyowin Samuel L. Jackson
Sites are led by local artists, municipal officials and community health leaders, who are working together to create large-scale participatory arts projects that advance health, equity, and community connection.
Download a PDF of all 18 site descriptions here.
Learn about additional #ArtsForEveryBody events
that took place on July 27th.
Learn About Our Vision
Arts for EveryBody is led by some of our country’s most creative thinkers. Together, they’re working to coordinate a movement guided by healing, equity and community.
Founder and Co-Artistic Director for One Nation One Project
Lear deBessonet is a Tony-nominated theater director with a deep commitment to community engagement and accessibility. She is the artistic director of Encores at New York City Center, and the Founder of the acclaimed Public Works program at the Public Theater (now in its 11th year, with iterations in multiple cities). deBessonet has directed many large-scale, pageant-style musicals featuring 200 performers, and also recently directed Into the Woods on Broadway and Annie Live for NBC. She loves her hometown, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
More
Co-Artistic Director for One Nation One Project.
Nataki Garrett is a highly accomplished Executive Artistic Leader and critically acclaimed film and theater maker. Garrett’s vision is to support artists; to manifest innovation; to inspire creativity and to ensure the future of the theater industry by centering artists as thought leaders and change makers who transform culture.
Founder and Co-Artistic Director for One Nation One Project
Clyde Valentin is a multidisciplinary artist, educator and cultural producer. With a passion for exploring the intersections of art, technology and social justice, Valentin has created numerous exhibitions and programs that challenge traditional boundaries.
Director of National Research and Impact for One Nation One Project
Dr. Jill Sonke, PhD, is a leading advocate for the integration of arts and health. As the Founding Director of the Center for Arts in Medicine at the University of Florida, she has been instrumental in advancing the field of arts in healthcare.
Our National Team
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Tyler Thomas
Associate Artistic Director
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Michael Rohd
Civic Collaborations Director
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Rebecca Martinez
Cohort Collaborations Director
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Christina D Eskridge
National Mapmakers Coordinator
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Shanaé Burch
Post Doctoral Research Associate
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Nicole Morgan
Research Manager
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Chloe Dean
Research & Program Associate
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Georgia Gempler
National League of Cities Senior
Program Specialist, Health & Wellness -
Seher Akram
National Research & Impact Associate
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Alex Rodriguez
National Research & Impact Associate
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Gray Davidson Carroll
National Research and Impact Associate
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Leslie Brand
Development Consultant
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Natalie Rella
Communications Consultant
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Penelope Douglas
Impact Advisor
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Rachel Chavkin
Impact Advisor
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Jenny Koons
Impact Advisor
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Danny Skinz
Creative Consultant
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Kristen Gibbs
Executive Assistant
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Howard De La Rosa
Bookkeeper
Behind the Lens with Scout Tufankjian
Armenian-American documentary photographer Scout Tufankjian joined the campaign to capture the artists, stories and culture of the 18 Arts For EveryBody communities as they prepared for July 27th, 2024.
News
Arts For EveryBody co artistic director Clyde Valentín sits down with journalist Julia Hotz to discuss her new social prescribing book, THE CONNECTION CURE, and what’s ahead for the arts and health movement.
New York Times 07.27.24
The age-old practice of turning tree leaves into mats has been revived on the islands. “It teaches you how to weave relationships, past and present,” one master artisan says.
WLBT 07.27.24
“We have a lot of artists, vendors, and musicians out today with us to celebrate this Arts for Everybody movement,” Carlton Turner, site partner with Sipp Culture, said. Art for Everybody is a national push to educate the public on the power of art and it’s impact on one’s mental and physical health.
The Gainesville Sun 07.29.24
Despite the rainy weather, the HeART Wall, a 208-foot-long mosaic mural featuring over 2,500 hearts, was unveiled at Depot Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. This community-driven art project, led by Sarah Hinds and supported by multiple local organizations, celebrates Gainesville through its vibrant, collaborative design.
WXII NBC 12 07.27.24
Arts For EveryBody, a nationwide initiative to bring together artists, civic leaders and community health providers to foster healthier communities, held its “Creative Wellness Community Day” in Winston-Salem on July 27.
WCJB ABC 20 07.27.24
City leaders with One Nation One Project Gainesville in collaboration with Dream On Purpose kicked off their ‘Summer Youth Celebration Arts, Culture, and Health Day’. One Nation One Project Gainesville is a wellness initiative meant to increase youth engagement in arts and culture while reducing gun violence.
ABC 6 Providence Now 7.27.24
The residents were assisted by local artists Vatic Kuumba and Carolina Briones, and the theme for each piece was “no place like home.” Organizers said the National Arts for EveryBody Campaign aims to show how arts participation is good for both physical and mental health.
Eighteen communities across America will unveil participatory public art projects on July 27, 2024 showcasing how the arts can improve health and bring people together.
Arizona Daily 07.26.24
Borderlands Theater has been taking part in One Nation/One Project’s national campaign titled “Arts For EveryBody.” Part of an 18-city cohort, Borderlands’ officials say the company has worked to prove how the arts can lead to healthier people and healthier communities. The year-long campaign will end with their “Art is Vital: An Art and Wellness” fiesta.
Come Join Us for the Mountains of Appalachian Music Arts and Wellness Festival on July 27th!
Good Good Good 07.26.24
On July 27, Clyde Valentín will start his day at an art summit in Chicago before heading to the AMERI’KANA outdoor music festival in Kansas City, MO, as part of the nationwide “Arts for Everybody” initiative. This ambitious project, involving 18 cities from Honolulu to the Bronx, aims to promote community health through the arts and is a collaboration between community leaders and artists, with lasting impacts expected beyond the event.
Chicago and the Inner-City Muslim Action Network are hosting events Saturday as part of the national “Arts for Everybody” initiative, highlighting the role of arts in community health. The city's Arts x Health x Wellness Summit at Malcolm X College will offer workshops, performances, and art therapy sessions, while IMAN's Mini Festival at Go Green Griot Plaza will feature live music, interactive art, and local vendors.
New York Times 09.12.23
“Arts for Everybody” by Michael Paulson, published by The New York Times on September 12, 2023, which explores the efforts of various arts organizations and artists to make their work more accessible and inclusive to diverse audiences.
US Weekly 7.23.24
Hollywood’s finest are coming together to support the arts in a new PSA for the Arts for EveryBody campaign.
Samuel L. Jackson, Aloe Blacc, Jay Ellis and more stars are featured in a new promotional video for the national arts organization, which sets out to establish the importance of the arts and health in America. The campaign is inspired by the 1936 Federal Theatre Project and will involve artists across 18 cities in America creating around the prompt “no place like home.”
Playbill 7.22.24
"What's possible when the arts belong to everybody?" That's the question that director Lear deBessonet and actor Brian Stokes Mitchell asked in their recent joint TED Talk, which was performed at the TED Conference 2024 in Vancouver this past April.
Broadway World 7.22.24
Tony-nominated director and Founder/Co-Artistic Director of Arts for EveryBody, Lear deBessonet has released a new TED Talk focused on the power of the arts.
TED 2024 07.22.24
With huge, city-wide casts from an array of communities, theater director Lear deBessonet's productions illuminate the unique power of the arts to transform our lives through collective expression. She explores the power of spectacle to inspire awe, connect individuals and heal loneliness with tangible, life-changing results. In a dramatic moment, deBessonet's message comes to life when Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell takes the stage for a dazzling performance of "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)," accompanied by pianist Todd Almond, the MEI Screaming Eagles Marching Band and some surprise vocalists.
Spectrum News NY 1 7.20.24
On July 27, civic leaders and community health providers in 18 cities and rural counties across the country, including the south Bronx, will team up for a special event, simultaneously premiering an array of large-scale arts projects. The campaign is called Arts for Everybody. It’s part of One Nation/One Project’s national arts and health initiative. Their goal is to prove how the arts can lead to healthier people and healthier communities. Anchor Rocco Vertuccio spoke with Nataki Garrett, the co-artistic director of One Nation/One Project, to talk about the initiative Saturday on NY1.
WS Today 7.19.24
Winston-Salem and Forsyth County will become one of 18 communities across the US to be part of a national movement that facilitates the well-being of community members through art. Arts For EveryBody will make a pit stop in the Twin City during “Creative Wellness Community Day” on Saturday, July 27.
Yes! Weekly 7.19.24
Led by local arts and health leaders, Winston-Salem and Forsyth County’s July 27 event will be held at United Health Centers, located at 2101 Peters Creek Parkway in the Marketplace Mall, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but advance registration is requested by going to WSArtsforAll.org.
Broadway World 7.17.24
Harlem9 is heading down south once again, for the inaugural “48Hours in…Baton Rouge” in partnership with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge and the national One Nation One Project campaign, “Arts for Everybody” that will culminate on Saturday, July 27 at 7pm. This Baton Rouge festival precedes the 14th Annual “48Hours in…Harlem” festival that will be performed live at The National Dance Institute on Sunday, August 25, at 7 and 9:30 p.m.
WJTV 7.16.24
Homegrown Utica, led by local artists and community leaders, will host the Homegrown Utica Fest on July 27.
The festival, held on Utica’s Main Street, will highlight Utica’s relationship and culture around food and rural living through storytelling, mural-making, farming tables, visual art, music, and more.
myRGV 7.16.24
If “Les Misérables” is considered the emotional rallying cry for all things redemption and revolution, then “¡Despierta!” can be thought of as a love letter for what sets the Rio Grande Valley apart from the rest of the world as the spiritual center of Tex-Mex culture.
Central Florida Health News 7.15.24
The Watson Clinic Foundation’s Arts in Medicine program are among a number of local organizations that have been included in a Proclamation by the City of Lakeland declaring Saturday, July 27, as Arts and Health Day. The proclamation underscores the program’s commitment to recognizing and celebrating the significant role that the arts play in enhancing individual and community health.
Texas Border Business 7.12.24
FridaFest honors renowned Mexican artist Frida Kahlo and celebrates the local artistic community. The festival will open with the premiere of an original musical, ¡Despierta!, about the region and starring 75 community members. After the premiere, the outdoor celebration will include public art commissions, demonstrating artists, local performers, and an exciting closing headliner. This festival will surround the new Edinburg Arts, Culture, and Events Center (A.C.E), soon to be the “Heart of the Arts in Edinburg.”
Winston Salem Journal 7.11.24
10 a.m. until 3 p.m., United Health Centers, 2101 Peters Creek Parkway in the Marketplace Mall. Winston-Salem and Forsyth County is one of 18 communities across the United States selected to be part of a national initiative called Arts For EveryBody. The initiative, announced in September 2023 and designed to bring together artists, civic leaders and community health providers to foster healthier communities, will hold events in all 18 communities on July 27.
The local event is called “Creative Wellness Community Day” and will include traditional West African dance and djembe drumming, interactive creative spaces for youth and families, food trucks, and live performances highlighting local artists in a variety of disciplines. Free health screenings will be provided in addition to various health resource vendors, all in celebration of Winston-Salem’s commitment to health and wellness through the arts.
KRGV 07.09.24
The city of Edinburg is celebrating renewed Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo.
FridaFest 2024 is set for Saturday, July 27 at 5 p.m. at the Edinburg Promenade Park Amphitheater, located at 211 W. McIntyre St.
The Kelly Clarkson Show 6.26.24
Kelly Clarkson chats with Lear deBessonet about the Arts for EveryBody campaign and how it aims to demonstrate how the arts can lead to healthier communities and people.
UF Health Shands Arts in Medicine Unveils the "HeART Wall" a 200-ft mosaic mural in Celebration of Community and Creativity on July 27th from 6:00 - 7:00pm
Main Street Daily News 6.20.24
Two local youth-created productions will be broadcast on GNV TV and streamed online and as part of Gun Violence Awareness Month activities.
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The controversy emerged after Verge canceled an exhibition of Black artists because of a piece considered racially insensitive, with Nataki Garrett involved through her leadership of the One Nation, One Project initiative, which aims to foster diversity and collaboration in the arts.
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The theme “No Place Like Home” will drive shows and festivals in both large cities and rural locales of this country on July 27, 2024.
The fence surrounding Semillas de Justicia Garden near the intersection of 27th Street and Troy Street is all decked out with a community mural entitled "Little Village Dreams."
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In Utica, Mississippi, community organizing, led by a partnership between the town, Sipp Culture, and Arts for EveryBody, aims to address food access challenges through collective purchasing and the establishment of a cooperative grocery model.
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The Harlan County Community Foundation is renovating an old Belk building into a mixed-use community arts center set to open in July 2024 alongside a theater production and arts festival promoting community health and showcasing local culture.
A study on the Pre-Texts arts-literacy intervention has shown significant potential in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms among Kenyan adolescents through an arts-based program.
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