New Books in Psychology Daisy Fancourt, "Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Save Lives" (Cornerstone Press, 2026)
Jan 23, 2026
Daisy Fancourt, a Professor of Psychobiology & Epidemiology at University College London, explores how arts can significantly enhance health and well-being. She discusses the broad definition of arts engagement, from culinary to horticultural, and its biological impacts like dopamine release and stress reduction. Fancourt reveals surprising benefits of dance over traditional exercise and highlights music's calming effects during surgeries. She also addresses barriers to arts access, emphasizing the need for policy changes to promote arts as a tool for public health.
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Clinical Arts Work In The NHS
- Daisy Fancourt worked in the NHS designing arts programmes and saw daily clinical benefits firsthand.
- She observed children with burns and patients with dementia showing dramatic arts-related improvements.
Arts Trigger Reward And Reduce Stress
- Arts engagement activates brain reward networks and triggers dopamine during tension-resolution moments.
- It also reduces stress signals, lowering heart rate, blood pressure, cortisol, and inflammation.
Dance Adds Creative Benefits To Exercise
- Dance combines exercise with creativity, producing larger effects on mental and physical outcomes than aerobic exercise alone.
- Dance also improves motivation and adherence compared with standard exercise classes.
