I have a Golden Rule at Americans for the Arts: “No numbers without a story, and no stories without a number.”

The arts are all about stories—often small, always meaningful.

Several years ago, I had open heart surgery. A couple of medical tests and the person who started the week thinking they were healthy and athletic finished the week in a whirlwind of fear and uncertainty. Nothing whisks away self-confidence and dignity like a stay in the hospital—midnight needle pokes, reliance on others to alleviate pain, being afraid to stand up without help.

The surgery was a lifesaver but left me wondering if I had what it takes to rebuild myself. Looking back, what I remember beyond the caring professionals who fixed me, is the art in the hospital. It transformed an invasive medical experience into one that I can now only describe as profound—humanizing an otherwise sterile environment.

Walking the halls in the days after the surgery, telemetry device and tubes in hand, I was drawn to the art on the walls. The colors and shapes were a feast for weary eyes.

As I spent time with the art, however, there was more. I began to feel the healing energy of the art and the artist’s hand, both physically and emotionally. It was palpable, unexpected, and took me to a place of hope. I felt like a ship captain spotting the lighthouse on a stormy night—a safe harbor. I realized I could transcend this and I am forever grateful.

Nearly half of the nation’s hospitals have arts programs for patients, their families, and even caregivers. When asked why, 78 percent of hospital CEOs say the purpose of these programs is to aid in the physical and emotional healing of their patients. That data point nails it.

That is the Golden Rule at work. We all have a power-of-the-arts story—when we left an arts event inspired to act, witnessed a transformation in a child, enjoyed a culturally revitalized downtown, or created art personally to maintain our mental health during the pandemic. When we pair those stories with a research point, it transforms our personal experience into a compelling advocacy case for action.

This advocacy season, find your arts story and pair it with the research-based findings in our “10 Reasons to Support the Arts in 2023,” our popular one-pager with ten messages about the value of the arts. Think of this as your Swiss army knife for arts advocacy—fits in your pocket and has all the tools you need! We update it every year to keep you current.

I hope you will share your story and the one-pager. Every small conversation is an act of advocacy that brings us closer to being a nation that embraces the power of the arts.

Happy advocating!