Healing Through Harmony: What Eskenazi Health Teaches Us About Equity in Arts, Wellness, and Community Design
In most hospitals, music is something you might hear through a pair of earbuds or a distant television. At Eskenazi Health, it’s something you feel—in the open concourses, in quiet patient rooms, in the rhythm of recovery.
Through its innovative Arts in Health program, Eskenazi Health is demonstrating that equitable access to the arts isn’t just good for the soul—it’s good for public health, economic opportunity, and community connection. As more corporations seek ways to support wellbeing and equity through their practices, Eskenazi Health offers a living blueprint.
A Daily Dose of Music—and Dignity
“We believe everyone deserves access to beauty, creativity, and moments of reflection,” says Amanda Byrd, Director of Experience and Events. “That’s why you’ll find live music at our downtown campus nearly every day.”
The Marianne Tobias Music Program at Eskenazi Health, founded in 2013 with support from the late local pianist and philanthropist Marianne Tobias, features weekly live performances at the downtown Indianapolis campus. The hospital’s grand piano—publicly accessible 24/7 when not in use—has hosted classical trios, jazz musicians, gospel singers, and dancers.
“It’s not uncommon to see a patient stop to listen on their way to or from an appointment. Sometimes you’ll find a staff member just taking a breath between shifts, or a visitor making a personal connection with a song,” Byrd shares.
These performances aren’t background noise; they are intentionally curated. The program, while not part of Eskenazi Health’s creative arts therapies programming, ensures selections and genres create a safe and soothing experience for the broadest audience. Performances are also livestreamed across the hospital’s internal TV network and social media platforms, ensuring that patients in their rooms—and staff at satellite clinics—can participate.
Crucially, all performers are paid. “We don’t just offer exposure; we offer compensation. That’s a key part of our commitment—to both our patients and the creative economy,” Byrd emphasizes.
Beyond Entertainment: Music Therapy as Clinical Care
What distinguishes Eskenazi Health’s work is not just its cultural programming, but its recognition of music therapy as a clinical tool.
In the outpatient setting at the Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center, expressive arts are integrated into broader behavioral health treatment.
Jim Richter, director of clinical services at Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center and a licensed therapist and musician himself, sees the impact every day.
“Music therapy is a bona fide clinical discipline,” he says firmly. “It’s not just someone strumming a guitar at the bedside. It’s targeted, evidence-based work that aligns with patient treatment goals—whether that’s reducing anxiety, building emotional regulation, or supporting trauma recovery.”
Designing for Wellness: Art, Light, and Inclusion
Eskenazi Health’s commitment to wellness goes beyond music. When designing its Thomas & Arlene Grande campus on the Eastside of Indianapolis, the organization prioritized natural light, calming colors, and community-oriented design.
“The environment matters. We were intentional in creating spaces where people feel safe, seen, and dignified,” Byrd explains. “Whether that’s through intuitive navigation, colorful artwork, or a quiet corner with sunlight streaming in—it’s all part of healing.”
One example: when Eskenazi Health opened the new Eastside campus, a second public piano was installed—funded by the same initial Tobias gift—to serve as both an artistic and communal asset for that neighborhood.
The visual arts program also reflects this ethos of accessibility and representation. When Eskenazi Health put out a call for artists for a major community art project, it received 257 submissions from Indiana creatives—proof that the talent exists right here, if we’re willing to invest in it. More than 90 percent of artists represented in the Katharine B. Sutphin Collection at Eskenazi Health Thomas & Arlene Grande Campus have a direct connection to Indianapolis’s eastside.
“Some of the artists we hired had never been shown in a hospital before, or anywhere outside their neighborhood,” Byrd shares. “We want our patients, visitors, and staff to see themselves reflected on these walls.”
What Businesses Can Learn
Eskenazi Health’s approach offers several key takeaways for the private sector:
- Creativity is not a luxury—it’s a tool for wellness.
Incorporating music, visual art, or even curated design into the workplace can boost employee morale, reduce stress, and create a culture of belonging.
- Invest in your local creative economy.
Paying performers and commissioning local artists helps uplift entrepreneurs while also enriching your organization’s cultural footprint. “We’re not just programming,” Byrd reminds us. “We’re supporting local talent.”
- Design matters.
Physical environments communicate values. Just as Eskenazi Health utilizes architecture and aesthetics to create dignity in care, workplaces can employ intentional design to foster calmness, focus, and inclusion.
- Start with what’s already around you.
“You don’t have to look far,” Byrd says. “Many of the musicians and artists represented in our Arts in Health programming are from right here in our community. The resources are often already within your teams or networks—you just need to open the door.”
Why Equity in the Arts Must Be Protected
Too often, arts programs are first on the chopping block when budgets get tight, whether in schools, hospitals, or community organizations.
“When you eliminate arts access, you eliminate connection, for people who may never have stepped into a concert hall or gallery. The arts provide a shared experience, even when individual. They help people find meaning, joy, and identity. We are grateful for the philanthropic support that allows us to keep bringing these experiences to our patients and our community.”
Richter echoes the urgency: “We cannot talk about equity in health without equity in access to art, to expression, to moments of stillness. These things are foundational.”
A Model for Inclusive Impact
Eskenazi Health’s work is a reminder that equity isn’t just about what’s treated—it’s about how care is delivered, who gets to participate, and what experiences are made available to all.
From its public pianos to its clinical music therapy sessions, the health system is demonstrating that the arts belong not only in galleries and theaters, but in hospitals, workplaces, and the daily rhythms of life.
For corporate leaders and community stakeholders seeking to advance inclusion, wellness, and creativity simultaneously, the Eskenazi Health model provides a path forward.
