Art Will Heal Us - By Jordyn Johnson

Written By: Jordyn Johnson

Category: Essay

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Jordyn Johnson, writing under the name "Art Will Heal Us," brings a profound essay to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. In "Art Will Heal Us," she delves into the transformative and healing powers of art, examining its impact on both the mind and spirit. Her essay explores how art connects us to ourselves and each other, offering insights from psychological and philosophical perspectives. Through her writing, Johnson encourages readers to appreciate the essential role of art in personal and societal well-being.

About the Work

In "Art Will Heal Us," Jordyn Johnson presents a thoughtful exploration of art's multifaceted impact. She examines the neurological and emotional effects of engaging with art, drawing from various studies and expert opinions. Johnson's essay highlights art's ability to connect, heal, and inspire individuals, fostering a deeper understanding of oneself and society. Her eloquent writing style invites readers to consider the vital role art plays in enriching human experience and promoting mental and emotional well-being.

Art Will Heal Us

Original Submission by Jordyn Johnson

Art Will Heal Us

By Jordyn Johnson

Art holds engaging, healing, and expansive qualities that enter the crevices of our spirit, mind, and heart, the past, present, and future versions of ourselves, and expand us further into deeper truth, alignment within ourselves, and deeper connection to those around us. How does it do this? It connects. Art doesn’t separate, it does the opposite. Art connects and intertwines all of us, together in some form or another, over and over again. This is the healing power and magic of art. Within this paper, I will be focusing on both psychological and philosophical perspectives on the topic of art and its inward and outward impact on us as humans, mainly focusing on the inward neurological experiences that commonly occur when engaging with art, as studied by a variety of researchers (Weir, 2025), as well as providing an additional external socioemotional lens to the importance of art, through how it shapes, expands, and connects us.

To begin exploring this, let us start with overviewing how art affects our internal biological experiences as humans, and the ways art can heal, challenge, and uplift us. Specific internal effects that engaging with art can induce on the human body, as researched by the World Health Organization from a 2019 study, include: positively assisting people in healing trauma, minimizing anxiety and depression symptoms, creating senses of community and interconnectedness between the self and others, and even protecting people’s brains from cognitive decline (Weir, 2025). These are all observed effects of those simply engaging with art. These results alone illuminate the healing nature art can have on the human psyche and state, but the positive effects of engaging with art do not end there.

Further explored in the article by Weir, Edward Vessel, a PhD-holding computational cognitive neuroscientist in New York City, shares that engaging with art also changes and stirs things within us both during and after we engage with art (Weir, 2025). Art is not a one-dimensional, static experience, it is something that is experienced by both the artist and the observer(s) and affects each person that observes and interacts with it in a unique way. Marta Pizzolante, a PhD doctoral research fellow in Milan, observed through a study she conducted with her peers that individuals with high levels of empathy and openness tend to have highly meaningful experiences with art, and feel more moved by art, on an emotional level (Weir, 2025).

Furthermore, on an even more specific level, it is shown that engaging with art engages different parts of the brain simultaneously, which is a rare occurrence for the brain (Weir, 2025). The default center within our brain can enter both a receiving, more passive and relaxed state, as well as a more engaged and focused state when experiencing art, as cited by a 2023 study within the Weir article (2025). This finding is fascinating, as it brings forth the idea that engaging with art is not a passive experience, as it may commonly be referred to or viewed as, especially from more critical lenses of the arts, whom do not take art as seriously, as this finding shows us that art engages multiple areas of our brain, as well as evokes a myriad of inner reflections, and emotions, causing us to continually be changed by the art we consume. Being changed by art is a healing and heart-opening experience, as it expands our worldview, of a variety of ways of speaking, viewing the world, viewing ourselves, and viewing others, invites us to question how we are showing up to our daily lives, and shifting how we experience the world and ourselves as a whole. To live is to continually expand, shed, and evolve repeatedly, if we are so lucky to do so, and engaging with art only enhances and strengthens this experience of being an ever-evolving and shifting human, as well as offers us comfort, connectedness, and catharsis on that journey. Without art, who are we? I don’t want to even try to imagine that, for it feels desolate and without color or vibrancy. Art reminds us why we are here, and reminds us who we are, when we forget or lose our paths. Art always brings us back to ourselves. This medicine is vital, especially in our current world.

Now, why is this important to study and raise awareness of, you may ask? The arts have experienced increasing disrespect, disregard, and dismissal from both governmental voices, public figures, social spheres, and in educational spaces and conversations. The arts, including film, T.V., musical theater, opera, ballet, classical music, museums, as well as studying the arts in higher education is commonly disregarded as “unimportant”, “useless” or not worth the money and time to study in an educational manner, or to dedicate a career towards. This is not a new phenomena; fields such as medicine, law, technology, and science have commonly been more respected than the arts and humanities, yet it seems heightened in recent years and there seems to be an anti-intellectualism crisis as well as an attack on the arts, deeming them as non-important, frivolous, and not worth dedicating time or a career towards, for those who yearn for this. However, as explored in this paper, this could not be further from the truth. Art has, and continues to be, a vital piece of humanities’ pulse in terms of providing us with inspiration,

feelings of connection and feeling seen via art forms, connected to others through our experiences of art, and inspired to create our own.

As one last closing point, I find it important to emphasize that art also ignites within us, feelings of deeper purpose and meaning, and makes our existences feel symbolic and deeply poetic, which enhances our life satisfaction and sense of purpose and accomplishment throughout our lives, (as well as enhances our literal biological well-being, as explored above) (Weir, 2025). Without art, meaning in our world would cease to exist, because humans innately are drawn towards meaning-making, which is the beautiful vessel that art allows for meaning to come through, as well as connects us to the greater pulse of society and each other as a whole, which is a deeply important and enlightening experience, that continues to expand and teach us the more and more we engage with art. For these reasons, amongst many more, art ought to be taken far more seriously, and given its flowers, reverence, respect, and admiration, just as much as other fields it is commonly placed as less important beside. Without art, we are nothing. Let art move you, and let it move you to make your own art. We need it now more than ever.

Source:

“What Happens in the Brain when We Experience Art” (2025), Kirsten Weir. American Psychological Association, Vol. 56, No. 6, Page 54.

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2025/09/art-mind-brain

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a prestigious event celebrating literary talent worldwide. This competition provides a platform for writers to showcase their creativity and explore themes that resonate universally. Participants are invited to contribute their original works, reflecting diverse perspectives and unique voices. The competition fosters a vibrant community of writers, encouraging thoughtful dialogue and the exchange of ideas through the power of written expression.

Thank you, Jordyn Johnson, for your insightful contribution to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Your essay, "Art Will Heal Us," offers a compelling perspective on the essential role of art in our lives. We appreciate your thoughtful exploration of how art heals and connects us, enriching both individual and collective human experience. Your participation exemplifies the spirit of the competition, highlighting the transformative power of the written word.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.