Fine art is good medicine. It comforts, elevates the spirit, and affirms life and hope. The Art Program’s goal is to provide these benefits to our patients.

In 2005 Cleveland Clinic leadership identified the need to build a contemporary, cohesive and world-class art collection, with a focus on enhancing patient experience. The Art Program was established in 2006 as an in-house curatorial department. Since 2020, Ellen Rudolph, Curator and Senior Director, leads the team whose role is to acquire artworks and maintain artistic standards for the whole organization. The program’s mission is to craft engaging, meaningful interactions with contemporary art within a healthcare setting. Integral to the healing environment, the artwork activates and anchors spaces throughout Cleveland Clinic Enterprise. The art collection is designed to present a broad range of perspectives, promoting empathy and inclusion by making visible the diversity of patients, visitors and caregivers.

A focus on innovative art and architecture has impacted Cleveland Clinic’s environment in a unique way.

Cleveland Clinic’s leadership has instituted an enterprise-wide imperative to transform its facilities into models of efficiency, organization and patient focus for the 21st century. As with the art, the primary goal is to construct a calming atmosphere for patients and their families. The buildings are meant to be easy to understand and navigate and to serve as supportive, healing places. The Center for Design, now Art + Design Institute, at Cleveland Clinic was established in 2017 to further the commitment to provide a therapeutic and consistent environment for patients and caregivers.

Works of art can enhance the patient experience when carefully chosen and thoughtfully curated.

Cleveland Clinic’s contemporary art collection is one of the largest in the region. The collection has been developed by combining traditional media such as painting, drawing, print and photography with new media including video, digital imagery, computer-generated artworks and mixed media works. Presenting this diversity of art in a public health setting is intended to result in therapeutic value for patients, visitors and all caregivers and reflects the respect for their well-being. With this in mind, two research studies have been conducted by the Art Program about contemporary art in the hospital setting. Results consistently show that the art has a positive effect on patients’ mood, stress level and overall experience.

Benefactors are crucial to the program’s success at Cleveland Clinic’s locations around the world. These philanthropic acts have long-lasting benefits.

Philanthropy advances patient care, research and education at Cleveland Clinic in profound ways. Cleveland Clinic’s Art + Design Institute is grateful for the many works of art donated by generous benefactors, as well as the commitments made to acquire new pieces and expand education and research programs. These gifts can be multiple objects from a single collection, anonymously sponsored artworks or funds that result in art acquisitions, commissions and educational programming. Whether in memory of a loved one, in honor of a physician or to support the Art Program’s endeavors to create a calming space for health, hope and healing, giving makes a significant difference to patients and caregivers.

The Art Program is committed to cultivating a creative and interested audience by providing meaningful opportunities to interact with the art at Cleveland Clinic.

Visitors have many ways to experience the artwork: informative didactic labels next to each artwork, rotating exhibitions and audio and docent-led art tours. As part of its community outreach, the Art Program sponsors Art in the Afternoon, a program for memory-impaired seniors. Visual art can alleviate the psychological stresses associated with a hospital visit or stay, improve patients’ satisfaction with their care and provide an opportunity for intellectual engagement. As a result, the Art Program has become a model for healthcare providers worldwide.

Through therapeutic and experiential programs, Cleveland Clinic patients, visitors and caregivers are affected by art in positive ways.

In 2008, Toby Cosgrove, MD, former CEO and President, launched Arts & Medicine — to formally organize all of Cleveland Clinic’s arts and cultural activities. The mission of Arts & Medicine, guided by Medical Director Francois Bethoux, is to practice and investigate the use of the arts in healing; to enhance the Cleveland Clinic experience through the arts; and to build community around the arts, health and medicine. This mission takes the form of direct patient contact such as art therapy and music therapy, research, performances in public areas, art installed throughout the health system directed by the Art Program, public lectures and workshops and community events.