Color Outside the Lines: How Stanford is Prescribing Art for the Soul
A Personal & Heartfelt Reflection
My personal experience with the “Arts Prescribing Program” came when I found myself overwhelmed by the pressures of coursework and lack of community engagement, I hesitantly agreed to a referral to the Stanford Arts Prescribing Program. I met with a Care Navigator who prescribed a concert to the Stanford Symphony, an event I would’ve never attended on my own.
At first, I felt out of place, I had never been a fan of classical music, but as I pushed through the initial uncomfortability from being in a space I wasn’t familiar with, the rhythm of the music became a form of grounding. It felt like I gave myself the space to pause and take a break from my day-to-day business. No grades, no expectations, no pressure, just art, creativity, connection and people living in the moment doing what they love. Those small “doses” of art prescribed to me became a kind of medicine I didn’t know I needed. Art won’t fix everything. But sometimes healing starts with new color, chaotic mess, silence, and a shared moment of presence. And in a world that moves too fast, maybe that’s exactly what we need.
I felt first-hand the quiet power behind Stanford’s Arts Prescribing Program, this pioneering initiative launched in January 2024 is a collaboration between the Office of the Vice President for the Arts (VPA) and Vaden Health Services and in just one month, student engagement exceeded the team’s initial yearly projections. A clear signal that something essential was resonating.
Reimagining Wellness Through Art
As Sabrina Wilesky, Director of Program Operations and Project Management at the VPA, shared with me, the vision for the program began as a simple but radical idea: to demonstrate the profound connection between art and well-being. Built on the foundation of “arts-based social prescribing,” the program reframes creativity not as an extracurricular activity, but as a core component of mental health care. “Art is essential and consequential,” Sabrina said. “It connects us to our humanity and to one another. It’s a way we take care of ourselves and our communities.”
Students referred to the program receive “doses” of art through curated experiences, anything and everything from movement workshops to museum visits. These experiences are coordinated by Care Navigators from Art Pharmacy, who match students with activities based on personal interests and emotional needs. And there’s no need to be a seasoned artist- just a willingness and courage to engage.
A Breath of Fresh Air
What’s been the response from students? “They’re enthusiastic,” Sabrina smiled, “and sometimes surprised.” For many, it offers something they didn’t realize they needed: permission to pause. The structured, low-pressure format invites students to try something new, often for the first time. These recommendations encourage students to get outside of their comfort zone, try something new, and break the monotony of routine. Whether it's painting, poetry, or dance, students find themselves in a space of vulnerability and play. One of the most popular program features allows students to “bring a friend,” helping to ease social anxiety and motivate participation.
Measuring Impact & Shifting Culture
Beyond attendance, the program also tracks student well-being through tools like the WHO-5 Well-Being Index and UCLA’s 3-item Loneliness Scale. Early indicators show promising broader cultural shifts on campus. Not only are students showing up, but they’re reporting increased connection, joy, and presence. But the program doesn’t stop there, it’s true ambition lies in cultural transformation. As Sabrina put it, “We want to create a campus where the arts are a recognized, regular part of caring for your mental health. Where living a life with art becomes the norm, not the exception.”
Scaling Creativity, Building Community
Currently, the program is connected to over 40 prescribing staff across campus and collaborates with departments like Art and Art History, Theater, Music, Creative Writing, and community spaces like the Roble Arts Gym and the GSE Makery. It also works closely with the VPA’s broader efforts around grantmaking, career exploration, and inclusive arts access. Sabrina has big dreams for the future of the program. She imagines art prescriptions being covered by insurance and being as common a resource as the Hume Center, serving as something students instinctively turn to. The team hopes to scale the model across other campuses, positioning it as a key pillar in reimagining student mental health care in the U.S.
Written by: Jaden Abas, Class of 2025
Resources
Stanford Resources
- Office of the Vice President for the Arts Stanford Arts Prescribing Program: Support your health and well-being with regular engagement in the arts.
- Stanford Report: Arts-based social prescribing comes to Stanford: A new partnership between Vaden Health Services and the program Art Pharmacy taps into the power of experiences like taking a poetry workshop or attending a photography exhibit for enhancing student well-being.
- The Stanford Daily (2024): “Rx? More like ArtX: Stanford Launches Art Prescriptions for Student Wellness”. Covers the program’s launch, student responses, and insight from campus leaders.
Additional resources:
- San Francisco Chronicle (2024): “Stanford is pioneering art prescriptions to improve mental health. It’s working.” Features data from the program and interviews with VPA and Vaden staff.
- The Guardian (2020): “Social prescribing: GPs in England to offer art, singing and gardening.” Describes the UK’s national rollout of arts/social prescriptions as part of standard care.
- NPR (2022): “Doctors in Canada can now prescribe visits to the art museum.” Highlights how Canadian physicians prescribe museum visits to help patients with anxiety and depression.