The beneficial, even transformational, impact of art on one’s health has long been known, both through simple observation and scientific studies. Just one example: a British government study in 2017 stated that, “the time has come to recognise the powerful contribution the arts can make to our health and wellbeing”. 

Arte Divine is dedicated to providing the sculptures of Michelangelo to healing institutions in order to act as a therapeutic partner, helping individuals in the wide variety of ways noted by the American Art Therapy Association, which describes art therapy as an approach to mental health that utilizes the process of creating art to improve mental, physical, and emotional wellness. The goal of art therapy is to utilize the creative process to help people explore self-expression and, in doing so, find new ways to gain personal insight and develop new coping skills. 

The arts in medicinal institutions and therapy has exploded in popularity. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts works with a physician’s organization, the Médecins francophones du Canada, allowing doctors to prescribe museum visits to patients, as a complement to more traditional treatment options. The Children’s Hospital and Health Center in San Diego has over 300 works of visual art, storytellers, musicians, visual artist- in-residence, a therapeutic harp program and several changing galleries featuring community and children’s art. The Creative Center in New York, in collaboration with 13 area hospitals, offers free workshops in the visual, performing and literary arts to develop a community of support in which women, men, and children with cancer improve the quality of their lives through creativity as they meet the challenges of illness, treatment, and survivorship. The Duke University Hospital’s Cultural Services Program integrates the arts and humanities into the life of the Medical Center, including the acquisition of original North Carolina-created visual art for patient rooms, an exhibition program, and performing arts events for patients, visitors, and staff – because everyone needs the arts. 

Though we could go on and on listing examples of more hospitals and more medical centers working with the arts, it remains rare to find a program that incorporates sculpture into those programs – and certainly not sculpture of Michelangelo’s brilliance and renown. Arte Divine is alone in endeavoring to bring Michelangelo’s masterpieces to those in need of healing.