Allen Lane Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Transform Our Health by Daisy Fancourt

Explore the profound connection between artistic engagement and human well-being with Art Cure by award-winning scientist Professor Daisy Fancourt. This essential book, shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction 2026, moves beyond viewing arts as mere hobbies, presenting compelling evidence that engaging with music, literature, cinema, and visual art is a powerful tool for improving health outcomes.

• Reveals life-changing power of the arts, supported by research across neuroscience, psychology, immunology, physiology, behavioural science, and epidemiology.
• Details how creative hobbies help maintain brain resilience against dementia.
• Explains how visual art and music can function similarly to drugs in reducing depression, stress, and pain.
• Examines how dance builds new neural pathways for individuals with brain injuries.
• Demonstrates that attending live music events, museums, exhibitions, and theatre decreases the risk of future loneliness and frailty.
• Shows that engaging in the arts improves the functioning of every major organ system in the body.
• Focuses on how art enables individuals not only to survive but to thrive and flourish.

Written by world-leading expert Professor Daisy Fancourt, this work distils complex scientific evidence into an accessible guide, offering an antidote to generalized health advice by focusing on the tangible benefits of creative pursuits.

• Author: Daisy Fancourt
• Brand: Allen Lane
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Language: English
• Print Length: 352 pages
• Publication Date: January 8, 2026
• ISBN-13: 978-1529935530
• Dimensions: 163 x 242 x 35mm
• Weight: 546g

Art Cure is an indispensable read for anyone interested in evidence-based approaches to mental and physical wellness, positioning the arts as a vital component of comprehensive health strategy.