Erik Holmgren, Manager of Advancement and Strategic Partnerships
Mass Cultural Council is proud to be able to expand our groundbreaking, state-wide Social Prescription Program with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
In 2020, the Mass Cultural Council became the first in the nation to launch an arts and health initiative and CultureRx: Social Prescription pilot with the goal of advancing the role of arts and culture as a preventative factor for the health of everyone in the Commonwealth.
This year (FY26) the NEA offered state arts agencies the opportunity to apply for new funding directed at supporting projects that connect the arts and health. Mass Cultural Council applied for, and received, $75,000.
We are pleased to announce that we will use this money to provide funding to three community health centers to incorporate social prescription as a part of patient care plans in FY26. The grant recipients include:
Mass Cultural Council is utilizing NEA funds to pursue an investment in Federally Qualified Health Centers, specifically members of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers.
One of the long-term goals of our Social Prescription Program – operated in partnership with Art Pharmacy – is to integrate this work into the existing MassHealth care offerings as an effective and cost-effective solution for mental health and social isolation challenges, among others.
MassHealth is the Commonwealth’s name for its public health insurance program, which combines the state’s Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). It provides coverage for eligible low- and medium-income residents, with eligibility based on factors like income, disability, and health status.
By targeting community health centers with these funds our goal is to build relationships, stories, and data with MassHealth clients and continue our dialogue with our partners across state government about the long-term inclusion of the practice of social prescription in our public health care system.
We look forward to working with these health centers to broaden the implementation of social prescriptions as a critical tool for patient health and well-being in these communities.
