RESEARCH REFERENCE
Art and well-being statistics.
A carefully sourced reference guide to how people take part in the arts, and the scale of current research into art, health, and well-being.
Last updated October 21, 2026
The numbers, in context.
Art belongs in ordinary life: in the images we choose to live with, the places we visit, and the creative practices we return to. The research below is useful context, not a promise that any artwork can treat a health condition. Each figure links to its original source so it can be checked and cited accurately.
3,000+
studies were included in a World Health Organization evidence review
The 2019 review considered research on the arts across prevention, health promotion, and the management and treatment of illness.
Source: World Health Organization, 201952%
of U.S. adults made some form of art in 2022
The national survey counted making or performing art across a range of activities, from singing and dancing to photography and creative writing.
Source: National Endowment for the Arts, 202348%
of U.S. adults attended an arts event in person in 2022
The measure includes activities such as museum and gallery visits, performances, craft fairs, festivals, and movies.
Source: National Endowment for the Arts, 202375%
of U.S. adults consumed art through electronic or digital media in 2022
Digital participation was the largest form of arts engagement reported in the national survey.
Source: National Endowment for the Arts, 202325.2%
of U.S. adults attended a live performance or art exhibit in a recent month
Across four survey periods in spring and summer 2024, the National Endowment for the Arts found that one in four adults had attended at least one live, in-person performance or art exhibit in the previous month.
Source: National Endowment for the Arts, 202433.4%
of U.S. adults took part in arts attendance in a recent month
The 2024 study counted live performances, art exhibits or galleries, and moviegoing together, representing an average of 85.2 million adults across the survey periods.
Source: National Endowment for the Arts, 202495
studies were included in a recent systematic review of arts and health promotion
The 2025 review examined arts programs, practices, and activities connected to risk factors for noncommunicable diseases.
Source: The arts for disease prevention and health promotion, 202527
countries were represented in that systematic review
Its evidence base shows that arts-and-health research is being studied across a wide range of communities and settings.
Source: The arts for disease prevention and health promotion, 2025SOURCES AND METHOD
Built for careful citation.
This guide uses publicly available research and national survey findings. It favors original reports and peer-reviewed reviews, and notes the study year beside each statistic. The figures above are kept separate from Mimi Baula Art’s own creative work and do not replace personal medical advice.
- World Health Organization, What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being? (2019)
- National Endowment for the Arts, 2022 arts participation findings (published 2023)
- National Endowment for the Arts, Arts Attendance, Art-Making, and Social Connectedness: Spring/Summer 2024 (2024)
- The arts for disease prevention and health promotion: a systematic review (2025)
Cite this page
Mimi Baula Art. “Art and Well-Being Statistics: 2026 Reference Guide.” Updated October 21, 2026.
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