Urbanowski: The arts are more than entertainment — they are essential to community health

November is Arts Health Month, first launched in November 2010 by the former Society for the Arts in Healthcare, now known as the National Organization for Arts in Health. The initiative was created to celebrate and increase momentum for the growing field of arts and health around the world. By 2015, organizations and leaders in Canada, Australia, Ireland, the UK and beyond were participating and discussing ways to expand it internationally. Arts Health Month is an opportunity to celebrate, educate and champion the arts’ role in public health and community well-being. Just as we are told that physical activity and nutrition are good for our health, so is regular participation in the arts. These can be experienced through receptive engagement or active participation, such as watching a performance, listening to music and dancing, going to museums, attending drum circles or taking a painting class. The focus is on engaging in the process of arts participation rather than emphasizing