THE POWER OF COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION:
How the Arts Support Mental Well-Being
The excited whispers with seatmates before the curtain rises. The collective laughter or tears during a performance. Running into friends and neighbors unexpectedly in the lobby. For generations, live entertainment has brought people together and built a strong sense of community.
Whether through music, theatre, dance, film or storytelling, the arts have always created opportunities for human connection. And in today’s increasingly isolated world, those moments of togetherness carry even greater importance.
As we conclude Mental Health Awareness Month this May, we want to reflect on all the ways that shared arts experiences support the community connections that are essential to overall wellness.
THE ARTS BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
In a world where we have so much access to entertainment on our devices (both big and small), it’s no secret that Americans are spending more time at home and more time alone than ever before. A 2024 New York Times analysis of U.S. Census data found that time spent at home has steadily increased over the last two decades, with less time being spent socially with friends and in community spaces.¹
Meanwhile, research from the National Endowment for the Arts suggests that arts participation and live entertainment can help strengthen social connection, emotional wellbeing and a sense of belonging.² While attending a live concert, Broadway musical or dance class may seem simple on the surface, these out-of-home experiences play an important role in helping people reconnect with one another and feel part of something bigger than themselves.
At the Appell Center for the Performing Arts, those moments of connection happen every single day.
A COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACE
For people of all ages in York County, the Appell Center for the Performing Arts is more than just a place to see a show—it’s a gathering place. The magic of live entertainment has always been about more than what happens onstage. It’s when coworkers unexpectedly run into each other at a concert and discuss their favorite songs the next day. It’s when former theatre kids can meet up to enjoy a Broadway show together and relive their youth. It’s when multiple generations of families finally take time away from work and school to make memories they will all cherish forever.
Live performances remind us that we are experiencing something together in real time—something that cannot be replicated when we get our entertainment through a screen. When times are tough and life feels uncertain, the arts bring us back to what matters most and make us feel alive again.
CELEBRATING COMMUNITY VOICES
Community connection through the arts doesn’t only happen on the mainstage. Each month, The Outlet—the Appell Center’s free music and poetry open mic series—creates a welcoming space for the entire community to share their voices and creativity.
Musicians, poets and storytellers alike come together to express themselves, appreciate one another, and build genuine relationships through a shared love of arts. For some, it’s an opportunity to step onto a stage and share their gifts for the first time. And for audiences, it’s a chance to listen, connect and feel a sense of belonging. Every person contributes to the energy that fills the room.
SHARED ARTS EXPERIENCES STAY WITH US
In an age where almost everything can be streamed at home, there’s a reason people still enjoy and seek out live entertainment. These experiences leave a lasting impact. They create core memories and moments we revisit in our minds time and time again.
The arts also create opportunities for collective empathy and understanding. A song lyric, a film scene, a dance performance or a spoken word poem can help people feel seen, inspired or understood in ways that are difficult to put into words. Sometimes, just being surrounded by other people going through the same emotions as you can make you feel a part of something greater than yourself.
Throughout the year, people gather inside the Strand Theatre, Capitol Theatre and The Studio for concerts, Broadway tours, educational workshops, films, community events and so much more. Every live event becomes another opportunity to bring people together and strengthen the fabric of the York community.
A COMMUNITY CONNECTED THROUGH THE ARTS
Mental Health Awareness Month reminds us all of the importance of prioritizing emotional wellness. In order to live your richest and most fulfilled life, creating deep connections with other people is essential. And for more than 100 years, the Appell Center for the Performing Arts has been honored to serve as a community gathering place for York, where people of all generations and backgrounds connect and reconnect in a way that leaves them feeling refreshed and rejuvenated in a way that only the arts have the power to do.
¹ Ronda Kaysen and Alicia Parlapiano, “A Nation of Homebodies,” The New York Times, October 5, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/05/upshot/americans-homebodies-alone-census.html
² National Endowment for the Arts, “New Research Explores Arts Engagement and Social Connectedness,” October 2024.
https://www.arts.gov/news/press-releases/2024/new-research-explores-arts-engagement-and-social-connectedness
