Arts therapies — art therapy, music therapy, drama therapy, and dance movement therapy — use creative expression as a therapeutic medium for mental health, trauma, disability, and rehabilitation. Registered arts therapists work in hospitals, mental health services, aged care, and community settings. This guide covers the key funding sources.
Health system arts therapy:
- Mental health services: Art and music therapy in mental health wards
- Rehabilitation: Music therapy in acquired brain injury and stroke rehabilitation
- Aged care: Music therapy in dementia care
- Children's services: Art therapy in paediatric and CAMHS settings
Creative NZ funds arts in health:
- Arts in health: Creative arts therapy projects
- Community arts: Arts therapy in community settings
- Arts Access: Arts for disability and health contexts
Gaming trusts fund arts therapy:
- Four Winds Foundation: Community arts therapy programmes
- Grassroots Trust: Community health through arts
- Pub Charity: Community arts and health
- Lion Foundation: Community health including arts
Gaming trust arts therapy applications:
- Music therapy sessions in aged care homes
- Art therapy in community mental health
- Drama therapy for youth at risk
- Dance movement therapy in disability services
Mental Health Foundation NZ:
- Arts-based mental health programmes
- Creative expression as mental health strategy
Registered arts therapists:
- Creative Arts Therapies Aotearoa (CATA): NZ professional body for arts therapists
- Art therapy: Visual art as therapy
- Music therapy: Registered music therapists — specific training required
- Drama therapy: Drama and role play as therapy
- Dance movement therapy: Movement as therapeutic medium
Music therapy is particularly well-developed:
- Music Therapy New Zealand: Professional association
- AUT music therapy: Training programme
- Victoria University Wellington: Music therapy training
- Registered music therapists: RMT registration required for funded positions
Art therapy application areas:
- Trauma: Visual art as trauma processing
- Mental health: Art therapy in psychiatric settings
- Children: Art therapy for children unable to express verbally
- Disability: Art therapy in disability services
Drama and role play:
- Social skills: Drama therapy for autism and social communication
- Trauma: Drama processing of traumatic experiences
- Youth at risk: Drama therapy as engagement vehicle
Music therapy for dementia is strongly evidence-based:
- Reducing agitation: Music therapy reduces behavioural symptoms
- Memory: Music activates long-term memory in dementia
- Wellbeing: Music improves mood and quality of life
- Carer burden: Music therapy reduces carer stress
Strong applications demonstrate:
- Qualified therapists: CATA-registered or registered professional
- Clinical outcomes: Measurable mental health, rehabilitation, or wellbeing outcomes
- Population served: People receiving arts therapy — condition, age, context
- Evidence: Research evidence for the specific arts therapy modality
- Clinical setting: Hospital, mental health, aged care, or disability context
- Community access: Arts therapy for people who can't access mainstream therapy
- Evaluation: Pre/post wellbeing measurement
- Cultural responsiveness: Arts therapy accessible to Māori and Pacific clients
Tahua's grants management platform helps arts therapy organisations manage grant applications across Te Whatu Ora, Creative NZ, gaming trusts, and health foundations, tracking clinical outcomes, mental health, rehabilitation, and community arts therapy reach.