Cleveland Clinic's Arts & Medicine Institute was created for the purpose of integrating the visual arts, music, performing arts and research to promote healing and to enhance the lives of our patients, families, visitors and employees.

Background

Fine art is good medicine. It comforts, elevates the spirit, and affirms life and hope. Art in the healthcare setting, combined with outstanding care and service, creates an ambience that encourages healing and supports the work of medical professionals.

As one of the world’s great medical centers, Cleveland Clinic has always included the arts in its healing environment. The four founders and subsequent leadership encouraged artistic and musical expression by employees. Distinguished artworks have long hung on the walls. In 1983, an Aesthetics Committee was officially formed at Cleveland Clinic to address issues of art and design in Cleveland Clinic facilities.

The Need for the Arts & Medicine Institute

The past 20 years have brought many changes to Cleveland Clinic:

• The institution has grown significantly in size and personnel
• The opening of the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family
• Pavilion and Glickman Tower has added a million square feet of new space, and opened up vast areas of space in existing buildings
• A new focus on patient experience has intensified the focus on the ambiance, appearance and way finding friendliness of Cleveland Clinic facilities
• With 37,000 employees and 3.2 million patient visits a year, Cleveland Clinic is a major economic power in a region that is notable for both cultural and medical leadership
• An increasing amount of research is demonstrating the efficacy of art and music in the clinical setting, and the ability of ambience to affect outcomes

Finally, community arts and cultural organizations are playing a larger role in maintaining the energy and vitality of the region, making it a more attractive place to work and practice medicine.

For all these reasons, Cleveland Clinic has formed the Arts & Medicine Institute. The clients of the Arts & Medicine Institute will be “patients first,” families, visitors, staff, employees, students and the community.

Under the leadership of Executive Director Iva Fattorini, MD, the Arts & Medicine Institute will:

• Encourage, facilitate, and communicate arts and cultural activities at Cleveland Clinic
• Develop art and music therapy programs in clinical areas and beyond
• Initiate research, studies and surveys on the arts in the medical setting and the effects of the arts on health and healing
• Oversee the Aesthetics Committee and the Art Program
• Interact with local, national, and international arts, cultural and health organizations to build community around the arts and medicine
• Expand Cleveland Clinic’s presence in the Northeast Ohio arts and culture community
• Create a comprehensive center for the health and wellness needs of the performer

The arts, for these purposes, shall be defined as, but not limited to, the visual arts (architecture, painting, sculpture, photography, film, video and digital display), performing arts (music, dance, theater), literary arts (literature, drama, poetry, journalism), and other humane disciplines (history, philosophy, anthropology, ethics) as they intersect with the arts.

For more information or to become involved in the Arts & Medicine Institute activities please email: artsandmedicine@ccf.org or call 216.448.8330 or fax 216.448.8335 .