Welcome
What is the Arts in Healthcare for Rural Communities Network?
Established in 2011, the Arts in Rural Healthcare Network is a formal network affiliated with the Society for Arts in Healthcare (should be a link). Our founding members work in rural communities in the South, the Pacific Northwest, and the Midwest. We joined together to share resources and strategies that we have used successfully in arts in healthcare programs for rural communities that are working to use the arts to improve the health of rural residents.
What defines a rural community?
While there are several standard definitions of “rurality”, we endorse no particular definition. Your community may be geographically isolated. It may be sparsely populated. It may be served by a critical access hospital. Or it may be any combination of the above. If you believe that the arts could be useful in enhancing the health of your community and its residents, then you may benefit from membership in this network.
Benefits of membership / Become a founding member
Our goal is to establish a vibrant network of individuals and organizations that are committed and enthusiastic about increasing access to the
arts to enhance health and well-being in rural communities. It is an aim of this network to create an expectation and demand for artists and for
the arts in hospitals, clinics and other healthcare and community settings in rural areas everywhere.
Members of the Network will be part of a cutting-edge movement to bring the arts to healthcare and community settings in our rural areas across the nation -- creating fair access to the healing benefits of the arts to patients and increasing opportunities for meaningful and financially productive work for local artists.
Members will have access to:
- an extensive array of free downloadable resources, tools, and established program models
- a network of people engaged in arts in healthcare initiatives in rural communities
- monthly topic -based networking calls
- online blogs and resource sharing pages
- member and program spotlights
- member news
- multi-site research opportunities
- multi-site project and grant opportunities
- annual network meetings at the Society for the Arts in Healthcare Conference
- Free membership through 2013 ($35 annually thereafter)
- 50% off membership to the Society for the Global Alliance for Arts & Health
During the first two years of the network, founding members will participate in quarterly conference calls and serve on task forces to establish network structure, functions, fees and services. Founding members will receive special designation in the Network Membership Directory and will not be assessed membership fees until January, 2014.
Founding members will also help to identify benefits the Network might offer to its members. These benefits will include all of the Society for the Global Alliance for Arts & Health’s membership benefits but also others -- uniquely designed for the needs of those in rural communities. These might include sample policies and procedures that could be modified, training materials for artists, and evaluation tools.
If you have the time and are interested in becoming a founding member, please contact Jill Sonke at jsonke@ufl.edu.
JOIN THE NETWORK NOW
Last updated 01/22/2013
