NeuroArts Blueprint

The NeuroArts Blueprint: The Science of Arts, Health and Well-Being is an initiative designed to strengthen, standardize, and propel the emerging field of neuroarts.

The Community Neuroarts Coalitions Network

Neuroarts Evidence-to-Impact in Local Communities

Community Neuroarts Coalitions (CNCs) are local evidence-to-impact collaborations of diverse stakeholders who engage the power of the arts and aesthetic experiences to improve the health, well-being, cohesion, and resilience of their communities. CNCs harness the transformative power of the arts – grounded in neuroscience – to advance health, well-being, and social cohesion. 

By integrating evidence-based arts practices with inclusive, cross-sector partnerships, CNCs can develop sustainable, community-led solutions that are locally relevant, fostering meaningful impact. Straddling both rigorous evidence and community-building activities, these interdisciplinary, cross-sector teams bring together health, art, and community-based practitioners and organizations with researchers, educators, and clinicians, and their affiliated institutions, to advance evidence-based arts research and practice.

Image from ArtsKC

The NeuroArts Blueprint established a Community Neuroarts Coalitions Network to support communities across the U.S. using the power of the arts to improve health and well-being. The creation of the CNC Network began in 2022 with three pilot CNCs who worked with the Blueprint team to identify core principles, potential benefits, and approaches to building CNCs. The CNC Network, modeled on the work of these three CNCs, officially launched with 11 CNCs in November 2025 and will expand internationally in 2026. As an umbrella for the local alliances whose efforts are informing clinical and community best practices, the Network is a foundational part of building the neuroarts field.

A framework to enable local partners to identify measurable outcomes and pursue impact, Community Neuroarts Coalitions recognize what the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has highlighted as the synergistic relationship between science and the arts (Chapline & Johnson 2016). In its Guide to Community-Engaged Research in the Arts and Health, the NEA states that researchers stand to gain from partnering with “arts professionals,” because they “often witness first-hand the effects of their artistic practice on individuals, on groups, and on whole communities. Because they are experts in their fields, arts professionals likely will have insights into what types of arts programs or interventions work best in which settings and for whom.”

By engaging valued local assets and generating actionable knowledge, community-based participatory research provides a strength-based tool for building evidence. Community-driven evidence building is a particularly apt model for arts-and-health knowledge because it acknowledges and builds upon the unique skills, expertise, and experiences of a community.

Shared below are the core principles for development of CNCs, the potential benefits of CNCs, and next steps for those who may wish to establish a CNC and seek to join the Network.

Image by Julieta Cervantes for Gibney

Core Principles

The Blueprint team has identified three core principles that guide the development of CNCs: 

First, these coalitions are inclusive and welcoming, reflecting the diversity of the population and artistic expression of their community. Each community draws on its own unique history and resources.

Second, each coalition is interdisciplinary and cross sectoral, including active participation from:

  • Researchers, which may include cognitive, psychological, public health, neuroscience and clinical researchers, and others affiliated with research institutions.
  • Health practitioners, which may include creative arts therapists, psychologists, neurologists, public health professionals, social workers, occupational therapists, and physical therapists.
  • Community arts and cultural organizations and artists, which may include those who advocate for cultural equity and art engagement at the community and individual level.
  • Educators, which may include those from schools and universities that are developing educational pathways in science, health, and the arts as well as those who use the arts in learning and strengthening social and emotional development.
  • Private sector champions, which may include those interested in expanding wellness opportunities in their communities.
  • Public sector champions, which may include those seeking to improve community wellbeing, health and learning by integrating arts into all policies.

Third, each coalition identifies its own goals in pursuit of health and well-being and decides which local stakeholders—such as research institutions, arts and cultural organizations, or health care providers—will anchor the effort. Each coalition also determines its own evidence strategy and impact measures in collaboration with the Blueprint Initiative.  

Image from Palm Health Foundation

Potential Benefits of CNCs

Enhanced Community Health and Wellbeing
CNCs use evidence-based arts interventions to improve both physical and mental health outcomes, promoting holistic wellbeing across diverse populations.

Science-Backed, Arts-Based Solutions
Grounded in neuroaesthetics, CNCs apply cutting-edge research to demonstrate how artistic experiences can positively impact the brain and behavior.

Inclusive, Cross-Sector Collaboration
CNCs unite stakeholders from health, science, education, business, government, and the arts, fostering comprehensive, community-driven solutions.

Culturally Relevant and Locally Rooted Programs
By using community-based participatory research (CBPR) and local asset mapping, CNCs help ensure that interventions are shaped by and tailored to the specific needs and strengths of each community.

Community Empowerment and Ownership
CNCs promote local leadership, co-creation, and sustainability through collaborative design and implementation strategies that prioritize community voices.

Accelerated Knowledge Sharing and Peer Learning
CNCs create a learning network that supports peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, strengthening local initiatives through shared expertise and insights.

Scalable and Replicable Model
With its foundation in best practices, adaptable frameworks, and economic impact models, the CNC framework can be scaled to diverse communities globally, promoting a broader culture of well-being through the arts.

Creation of Tools and Best Practices for Broader Impact
Systematic data collection and synthesis lead to the development of toolkits, resources, economic impact models, and case studies that benefit other communities and stakeholders.

Elevated Public Awareness and Understanding
Community-wide events and educational initiatives raise awareness of the neuroscience of art and its relevance to everyday health and well-being.

Stronger Civic Engagement and Social Cohesion
By engaging diverse community members in shared creative experiences, CNCs foster social connection, empathy, and collective action.

Evidenced-based Strategies to Inform Public Policy
CNCs can serve as a key local resource for public policymakers seeking to integrate evidence-based strategies into community solutions to improve and well-being.

Enhanced Fundraising Capacity
Presenting a community-driven, coordinated, and evidence-based approach to community health and well-being strengthens the ability to raise public and private dollars.

Meet the CNC Network Members

Learn more about the 11 members of the CNC Network and how they are bringing neuroarts to their communities. Each is listed with their anchor institution(s):

Are You Ready to Build a Community Neuroarts Coalition?

Led by a core anchor organization, a CNC emphasizes collaboration, creativity, and reflection to make a meaningful impact. Just as every community is unique, there is no one-size-fits-all way to build a CNC. 

We created this checklist for building a CNC based on best practices from our current communities to get started. To get started: review the list and then, when you’re ready, reach out to us to discuss how to create a CNC in your area and join the Network.

1. Lay a Strong Foundation for Your CNC

  • Do you have a leader from a core organization who is passionate about the CNC’s goals and has the capacity to build a program?
  • Do you have a coordinator to manage the day-to-day operations of the CNC?
  • Can you convene an advisory team/steering made up of 3-5 trusted members with different perspectives and backgrounds?
  • Have you identified potential funding sources to support your work?
  • Are you ready to recruit diverse members from various fields (e.g., arts, health, research education) to create buy-in and learn insights from the community?
  • Have you gathered a clear picture of your community’s strengths and needs (e.g., through Asset Mapping)?
  • Does your coalition reflect the unique strengths of your community?

2. Define Your CNC’s Mission and Vision

  • Have you written a mission and vision statement that reflects your community’s needs, assets, and aspirations?
  • Do you have clear, achievable goals that address the identified needs for the first year?

3. Create a Plan to Activate Your Goals

  • Do you have a timeline and action plan to guide your work and keep you on track for the first year?

4. Develop a Communications Plan

  • How have you planned how to keep your community informed and engaged in your CNC’s activities?

5. Collect and Share Evidence of Your Impact

  • Are you thinking about how to collect stories and evidence from your programs to share with your community?

By using these steps as a guide, you will be on your way to creating a dynamic, community-driven CNC that helps improve lives through the power of the arts.

For more information, view this webinar featuring the New York City and Palm Beach County CNCs, or view the press release announcing the launch of the CNC Network.