Arts in Health International Foundation

The Arts in Health International Foundation (AiHIF) is a Barcelona-based foundation founded in 2018 by a group of professionals from the arts and health sectors who were interested in the potential of the arts to improve the health of people and societies. It was created with an explicitly international reach, aiming to become a meeting point for the different experiences and approaches of the arts in health community around the world, and it states the ambition to become one of the main world references in the arts in health field, contributing to its expansion and consolidation. The Foundation's stated principles are interdisciplinarity across health, culture and social domains; rigor, evidence and quality; an international aim; and acting as an agent of change and social progress. Its governance is led by an unpaid Board of Trustees, whose members include David Elvira as Trustee and President, Jordi Sellas as Trustee and Vice-President, and Cristina Domènech, Cristina Nadal, Jordi Blanch, Guillem d'Efak Fullana-Ferré and Ferran Julià as trustees, with Ferran Julià also serving as Secretary. Cristina Nadal and Guillem d'Efak Fullana-Ferré are identified as cofounders. A small team handles production and interventions, social media and community, and press and communications. AiHIF's activity centres on convening and networking. It organises a series of Meet&Link gatherings intended to create a professional network and to showcase arts in health projects from Spain. One such gathering, held on Thursday, May 2, 2024, at 7 PM at La Lleialtat Santsenca in Barcelona, featured professionals from Vall d'Hebron Hospital and the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) presenting the project "Obrint portes" ("Opening Doors"), which aims to improve the emotional well-being and enhance the socialization of a group of young people who have undergone oncological treatment. Speakers included Norma Vélez, project manager of Arts in Health at MNAC, and Anna Saló, pediatric psycho-oncologist at Vall d'Hebron Hospital, and the event included the participation of families and children involved in the project. Sessions are made available on the Foundation's YouTube channel. The Foundation also supported Healing Arts Barcelona 2025, described as a landmark activation bringing together artists, healthcare professionals, cultural institutions, researchers and community organisations to strengthen the arts and health ecosystem in Catalonia. As part of that commitment, AiHIF organised the Meet&Link gathering at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, an open meeting space designed to connect professionals from the cultural and health sectors, share experiences and generate new collaborations. The event contributed to the wider ambition of Healing Arts Barcelona to make visible the transformative role of the arts in individual and collective health and wellbeing and to advance cross-sector cooperation as a public health asset. As a foundation, AiHIF is a non-profit entity rather than a commercial company; it operates primarily in Spain with an international orientation and does not sell consumer products. Its work is expressed through events, networking, project showcases and communications that link cultural institutions, hospitals, researchers and community organisations.

The Arts in Health International Foundation (AiHIF) was founded in Barcelona in 2018 by an accomplished group of professionals from both the arts and health sectors who were interested in the potential of the arts to improve the health of people and societies. From its inception it was conceived with a clear international reach, intended to become a meeting point for the different experiences and approaches of the arts in health community around the world. The Foundation has stated the ambition to become one of the main world references in the arts in health field, contributing decisively to its expansion and consolidation. Its founding group included Cristina Nadal and Guillem d'Efak Fullana-Ferré, both identified as cofounders and trustees. The Foundation is governed by an unpaid Board of Trustees. As of the period covered by its public materials, the board comprises David Elvira as Trustee and President, Jordi Sellas as Trustee and Vice-President, and Cristina Domènech, Cristina Nadal, Jordi Blanch, Guillem d'Efak Fullana-Ferré and Ferran Julià as trustees, with Ferran Julià also serving as Secretary. A small operational team covers production and interventions (Íngrid Campdelacreu), social media and community (Marina Castillón), and press and communications (Mar Novell). The Foundation's stated principles are interdisciplinarity across the health, culture and social domains; rigor, evidence and quality; an international aim; and acting as an agent of change and social progress. These principles frame its activity, which is centred on convening, networking and showcasing projects rather than on commercial products. A central strand of AiHIF's work is its series of Meet&Link gatherings, designed to create a professional network and to showcase various arts in health projects from Spain. The second such gathering took place on Thursday, May 2, 2024, at 7 PM at La Lleialtat Santsenca (C/ Olzinelles 31) in Barcelona. It featured professionals from Vall d'Hebron Hospital and the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) sharing their experiences with the project "Obrint portes" ("Opening Doors"), aimed at improving the emotional well-being and enhancing the socialization of a group of young people who had undergone oncological treatment. The speakers included Norma Vélez, project manager of Arts in Health at MNAC, and Anna Saló, pediatric psycho-oncologist at Vall d'Hebron Hospital. The event included the participation of families and children involved in the project, and the sessions were made available on the Foundation's YouTube channel. In 2025 the Foundation proudly supported Healing Arts Barcelona 2025, described as a landmark activation that brought together artists, healthcare professionals, cultural institutions, researchers and community organisations to strengthen the arts and health ecosystem in Catalonia. As part of this commitment, the Foundation organised the Meet&Link gathering at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, an open meeting space designed to connect professionals from the cultural and health sectors, share experiences and generate new collaborations. The event contributed to the wider ambition of Healing Arts Barcelona: to make visible the transformative role of the arts in individual and collective health and wellbeing, and to advance cross-sector cooperation as a public health asset. Through these activities, AiHIF positions itself as a connector between cultural institutions, hospitals, researchers and community organisations, operating primarily in Spain with an international orientation and pursuing its mission as a non-profit foundation rather than a commercial enterprise.

• 2025

  Foundation supports Healing Arts Barcelona 2025 and organises Meet&Link at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.

• 2024

  Second Arts in Health Meet&Link gathering held on May 2 at La Lleialtat Santsenca, Barcelona, featuring Vall d'Hebron Hospital and MNAC.

• 2018

  Arts in Health International Foundation founded in Barcelona by professionals from the arts and health sectors.

Non-profit international foundation and meeting point for the global arts in health community, based in Barcelona.

1. 1Arts in Health International Foundation – Arts in Health International Foundationartsinhealthfoundation.org
2. 2About us – Arts in Health International Foundationartsinhealthfoundation.org
3. 3Arts in Health International Foundationwikidata.org