Art That Heals: How Art Transforms Healthcare Experiences

In healthcare, a patient’s environment can directly influence their recovery.  Evidence-based design (EBD) aims to improve healthcare spaces by including various elements proven to help patients get better. Architects and designers use data to choose elements that create a calm and safe atmosphere, supporting both mental and physical healing.

And one of the most overlooked yet cost-effective and impactful elements they can choose is artwork. Art is more than just decoration; it can transform an environment for the better, meanwhile improving patients’ physical and emotional states. Studies have shown that thoughtfully curated, strategically placed artwork can reduce stress, ease pain, and even help patients recover faster. For example, research shows that patients who see nature-themed artwork, like landscapes or calm, natural scenes, feel less anxious and uncomfortable. This is because looking at nature, even through art, has a calming effect that can be recreated in hospitals and clinics.

As discussed on The NINE dot ARTS Podcast in the episode, “Instilling Hope and Wellbeing Through Art,”  Greg Wiles, CFO of Pacific Fertility Center Los Angeles, shared that adding art to healthcare spaces is essential for creating environments that do more than just serve a practical purpose, but also instill hope, resilience, and even serenity. Like Greg, healthcare leaders understand how art can turn a cold, sterile medical setting into a place where patients and their families feel more at ease and thus more receptive to the potential benefits of their care. Altogether, this sense of comfort within their environment can drastically improve the patient experience, a metric that is very important to healthcare providers.

Row One: (left to right): PC Ngo, David LeCheminant, Kennedy Scott,
Row Two: Emma Gilbert 

Another great example of how art can enhance a healthcare setting is the North Campus project at Children’s Hospital Colorado, where art spans five floors of corridors and waiting areas to bring character to the space. NINE dot ARTS selected 160 pieces of art that honor the hospital’s values—humility, service, creativity, and community—while reflecting Northern Colorado’s natural beauty, history, and culture. The bright, playful imagery aligns with the hospital’s colorful design and furniture, making the space feel lively and inviting. Additionally, the thoughtful placement of the artwork helps visitors navigate the hospital, finding their way to various floors while experiencing the joy and playfulness that each piece promotes. Altogether, the artwork is fun yet timeless, appealing to people of all ages and backgrounds and creating a welcoming atmosphere that complements the hospital’s high standards of care.

Using evidence-based design principles, including the careful selection of artwork, can transform healthcare facilities into places that nurture growth and support healing. By focusing on the mental and emotional needs of patients, EBD helps create a holistic approach to healthcare, showing that true healing involves caring for the mind, body, and spirit.