Moffitt Hosts National Organization for Arts in Health Regional Event

Each year, the National Organization for Arts in Health hosts conferences to share unique ideas and inspiration in the field of arts in health care. On Sept. 5, the group kicked off its regional meetup event series at Moffitt Cancer Center.  

“This event created space for everyone participating to meet our peers, exchange ideas, receive encouragement and get inspired,” said Amanda Bonanno, Moffitt’s Arts in Medicine Program coordinator. “This was also an opportunity for Arts in Healthcare workers to remember the importance of self-care, taking time to fill their own cup so they can continue to provide the highest level of care.” 

The Start of Moffitt’s Arts in Medicine Program  

The Arts in Medicine program first began at the cancer center in 1998. It started with one employee, visiting patients with an art cart at their bedside and in the lobbies.  

Program Expansion  

Now, the program consists of six team members, two studio spaces, an art gallery and multiple art carts. Last year, the group provided 37 workshops and presentations for staff members, along with hundreds of patient visits.  

How Does It Work?  

The program offers patients, caregivers and staff members the opportunity to experience the healing and calming benefits of art and music. The Arts in Medicine team offers daily weekday access to two art studios.  

Inside the studios, patients, caregivers and staff can select from a variety of expressive art practices, including string painting, watercolor and silk painting. The art studio at the Magnolia Campus also includes musical instruments, such as crystal bowls, which are available for visitors to play themselves. 

Along with studio access, the program also offers private bedside visits for patients, where they can create art from the convenience of their room or listen to live, healing music. 

“Our two musicians on the team are graduates of the Music for Healing & Transition Program, so they are Certified Music Practitioners. They are trained to assess a patient’s needs, meet them where they are and play accordingly, so every interaction is different. – There is no set list when they walk into a room,” Bonanno said.  

The Arts in Medicine studio at Moffitt’s Magnolia Campus has open art sessions available from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Meeting Activities  

The event at Moffitt included a tour of the art studio and Healing Arts Gallery, as well as a hands-on art practice and live music experience. 

The Arts in Medicine musicians demonstrated to the group how to use a new addition to the studio, the handpan. This instrument does not require experience to play. It is often brought to the patient’s bedside, where they can play the instrument from their bed, listening to the soothing sounds and feeling the vibrations.  

“This meetup was a very exciting opportunity to showcase the multi-faceted and highly developed program that Moffitt offers, and it was also very impactful for our own Artists in Residence, as well, providing us with the opportunity to gain deeper insight into the field of Arts in Healthcare.”