UA students can use Art Pharmacy to treat anxiety, depression and loneliness in pilot program

You’ve heard of prescribed fires and prescribed drugs, but what about prescribed arts?

A new partnership between University of Arizona and Art Pharmacy is looking to treat anxiety, depression and loneliness in an unconventional way.

Art Pharmacy prescribes personalized social services to address what it sees as a mental health and loneliness crisis.

Starting this fall, a three-year-long pilot program with UA will give students free access to arts and culture activities depending on their needs, interests and background as referred by the school’s Counseling & Psych Services center.

Andy Shultz with UA says students may also bring a friend.

“There’s a growing body of evidence that indicates the arts have a really critical role to play in promoting health and preventing and managing stress. Particular areas where the arts seem to have the greatest impact is in mental illness, loneliness and isolation," Shultz said.

He says the program will be tracked quarterly, with one of the research goals being to determine arts’ impact on student retention and graduation rates.

Shultz says the program is possible because of many community and university partners, including Arizona Arts.

UA says 80% of Stanford University students who used Art Pharmacy reported having improved mental health.