Arts Participation for Reducing Stress and Promoting Organizational Wellness

Abstract

The negative impact of stress and the positive impact of making art was researched for this paper to benefit nonprofit leaders and the organizations they serve. Stress is believed to be associated with poor individual health, burnout, reduced job satisfaction and a driver for turnover within the nonprofit organization. High levels of leadership turnover can lead to unsustainable operating conditions for the nonprofit organization. Conversely, new scientific research is emerging that demonstrates engaging in arts activities is associated with individual well-being, stress resistance, increased job satisfaction and reduced turnover. Participating in an art form plays a positive role for the nonprofit arts administrator by reducing stress. Likewise, arts participation plays a positive role for the nonprofit arts organization by helping to reduce stress induced turnover.