Arts for Health conference 2026. Photo: John Sennett
Healthcare professionals, artists, and cultural experts from across the Nordic and Baltic regions gathered in Stockholm on April 20–21, 2026, for the second Nordic–Baltic seminar on art in hospital environments. Hosted at Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet, the event focused on how art can enhance well-being for patients, families, and healthcare staff.
Building on the first conference in Helsinki two years ago, the meeting strengthened regional collaboration and explored the intersection of healthcare, research, and artistic practice. Speakers including Birgit Bundesen Denmark, Daisy Fancourt (UK), and Marcel W. Foster (U.S.A), highlighted both scientific evidence and practical applications of art in medical settings. Breakout sessions on the first day of the conference addressed key questions such as the balance between evidence-based healthcare and artistic freedom, and how different care environments can integrate art. Participants also visited The Cell att Hagaplan 4 in Solna, combining networking with the current exhibition “Me You We – Exploring Human Behaviour”
On the second day of the conference, attention turned to themes such as artist-in-residence programs in medical settings. Sessions moderated by Jonas Nordquist featured contributions from gallery and artist representatives, highlighting how long-term artistic presence can influence both clinical environments and patient experiences. Guided tours of the hospital’s art program and visits to Nationalmuseum and Sven-Harrys Art Museum concluded the event.
Participants also took part in guided tours of the extensive art program at Karolinska University Hospital. The conference concluded with visits to major Stockholm art institutions, including Nationalmuseum and Sven-Harrys Art Museum, reinforcing the connection between healthcare spaces and the broader cultural landscape.
A Baltic collaboration
The conference was hosted by the Centre for Culture, Cognition and Health at Karolinska Institutet in collaboration with colleagues from KI, Region Stockholm, Lund University, and representatives from Helsinki Urban Environment Division, Finnish politicians and conference management representatives.
Pictures from the Arts for Health conference
Lectures from the conference
Monday April 20
Marcel Foster, Performance Hypothesis, Florida
Assesing the impact of arts on health outcomes
View the video from this lecture
Max Lijefors, Professor of Art History and Visual Studies, Lund University
Art in Hospitals: Dreams and Reality
View the video from this lecture
Mats Lekander, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University
The brain’s artful perception of the world
View the video from this lecture
Birgit Bundesen, Psychiatrist, senior consultant Mental Health Care Center Amager, founder and director at Danish Center for Arts and Mental Health
Arts in Psychiatry: past, present and future
View the video from this lecture
Magdalena Åberg, Kunsthalle Kohta, Helsinki
Creating and Curating Art on Health
View the video from this lecture
Daisy Fancourt, University College London
Why arts are an overlooked health behaviour: insight from epidemiological, behavioural and economic research
Stefan Karlsson, Arts lab, Sahlgrenska. Psychiatry, Gothenburg
Art in Hospitals
Powerpoint presentation from this lecture (pdf)
Amelie Edlund, Director of Art Collection, Ersta diakoni, Stockholm
Art in Hospitals
View the video from this lecture
Tuesday April 21
Artists-in-residence: An Emerging Concept in Medicine (short presentations)
Moderator: Jonas Nordquist
Cecilia Hillström, gallerist
Ebba Bohlin, artist-in-residence, Karolinska Institutet
Pontus Aspenström, professor, director of BMC, Uppsala
Evelina Pajediene Dean for Postgraduate Studies Centre, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences
Healthcare Professionals as Patrons of Art and Culture in Art Deco Lithuania
Molly Grad Artist/Writer, PhD candidate, Royal College of Art
Presents her art project in urban environments
Matti Nikkola¹ and Cristian Stefan² ¹ Head of Education, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet ² Clinical Professor, Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry
Arts in Medical Education
Finbar Krook-Rosato Region Stockholm
Introduction of NKS art project
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Organizing Committee
Center for Culture, Cognition and Health, Karolinska Institutet