Arts therapies — music therapy, art therapy, drama therapy, and dance movement therapy — are evidence-based clinical disciplines that use creative processes to support mental health, wellbeing, and recovery. In Australia, arts therapies are increasingly recognised as effective interventions for trauma, dementia, autism, mental illness, and palliative care. Grant funding supports arts therapy programmes in hospitals, community settings, aged care, schools, and rehabilitation — bringing creative healing to people who struggle to engage with traditional talk therapies.
The disciplines
Evidence base
Growing evidence supports arts therapy effectiveness for:
- Trauma and PTSD
- Dementia (music therapy is particularly well-evidenced)
- Mental health (depression, anxiety, schizophrenia)
- Autism and developmental disability
- Palliative care and end-of-life
- Paediatric hospital patients
- Stroke rehabilitation
Professional bodies
NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme)
Arts therapy can be funded through NDIS under Improved Daily Living — individuals with eligible conditions can access registered arts therapists.
Aged Care
Some residential aged care facilities fund music therapy through government subsidies.
Medicare
Limited — some art therapists can provide Medicare-eligible sessions under the Mental Health Treatment Plan (via GP referral).
PHNs (Primary Health Networks)
Some PHNs commission arts therapy services in mental health programmes.
The Ian Potter Cultural Trust
Supports creative arts including arts therapy.
The Myer Foundation
Mental health and creative arts.
Lord Mayor's Charitable Fund (Melbourne)
Health and wellbeing including arts therapies.
State arts funding bodies
Arts agencies (Creative Victoria, Create NSW, etc.) sometimes fund arts therapy within health settings.
Hospital foundations
Many hospitals have charitable foundations that fund arts therapy for patients.
Aged care provider foundations
Some aged care organisations fund music therapy through philanthropic arms.
Mental health
Aged care and dementia
Children and youth
Trauma recovery
Disability
Palliative care
Hospital settings
Rehabilitation
Corrections and justice
Many people — particularly those with trauma, autism, dementia, or limited verbal capacity — struggle to engage with traditional talk therapies. Arts therapies offer:
Arts therapies are particularly effective for people who've experienced trauma, abuse, or loss — where words often fail.
Evidence base
Music therapy for dementia and stroke rehabilitation has particularly strong evidence. Applications building on evidence-based protocols are more compelling to health funders.
Clinical registration
Grant applications from registered arts therapists (AMTA registered music therapists; ACATA registered arts therapists) are more credible — registration indicates clinical training and professional standards.
Underserved populations
Arts therapy is often unavailable in rural areas, aged care settings outside major cities, and for people with disability in non-NDIS contexts. Applications targeting these gaps have strong equity rationale.
Integration with healthcare
Applications that embed arts therapy within clinical settings — hospitals, mental health services, palliative care — are more credible than standalone arts programmes.
Tahua's grants management platform supports arts therapy funders and creative health organisations — with client outcome tracking, session data, programme reach measurement, and the reporting tools that help arts therapy funders demonstrate their investment in creative healing across Australia.