From 8 to 12 December 2025, Singapore will host Healing Arts Singapore, Asia’s first national-level arts and health initiative—marking a major step forward in advancing regional conversations on arts and health.

The Singapore edition of the Jameel Arts & Health Lab’s global Healing Arts campaign in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO)—which has seen iterations in New York, Paris and other major cities—is jointly led by the National University of Singapore (NUS), through the Centre for Music and Health (CMH) at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST); and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), University of the Arts Singapore (UAS).

Healing Arts Singapore will bring together key leaders from research, healthcare, the arts and policy to engage in a week-long programme across Singapore’s leading institutions—including National Gallery Singapore, NUS, and NAFA, UAS—to discuss how the arts can be embedded within healthcare and community systems through evidence-based and scalable interventions to improve wellbeing and inspire systemic change.

The programme will feature academic symposia; policy meetings; the appointment of the Jameel Arts & Health Lab’s first Healing Arts Centre of Excellence in Asia; the launch of the THRivE Toolkit and photo essay from the Jameel Arts & Health Lab–Lancet Global Series on the Health Benefits of the Arts; and an opening concert with YST student musicians, local artists Azariah Tan, Chen Zhangyi and The TENG Ensemble, and community organisations Arts Fission and Beautiful Mind Charity.

Serving as Guest-of-Honour for the Welcome Address at NUS will be Mr Baey Yam Keng, Minister of State, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Transport.

New key platforms and resources for arts and health in the region

Healing Arts Singapore will kick off with the appointment of Asia’s first 'Healing Arts Centre of Excellence' at National Gallery Singapore.

“National Gallery Singapore will be accredited by the Jameel Arts & Health Lab in collaboration with WHO to exemplify the role of cultural institutions and artists as vital partners in public health,” explained Stephen Stapleton, Co-Director of the Jameel Arts & Health Lab and CEO of CULTURUNNERS. “It is the first museum to receive this accreditation, joining prestigious cultural institutions including Ca...