The short answer
Creative arts therapies are mental health professions that use art, music, dance and movement, drama or poetry, each with its own training and credential. They are different from a sing-along or a craft afternoon. For people living with dementia, a 2018 Cochrane review of art therapy found too little evidence to say whether it works. Enjoying art or music together is still worthwhile.
- Creative arts therapies include art, music, dance and movement, drama and poetry therapy, each with its own training.
- Expressive arts therapy combines several art forms in one session under a trained therapist.
- A sing-along or craft afternoon is a creative activity. It is not a therapy session.
- A 2018 Cochrane review found only two small studies of art therapy in dementia and could not say whether it works.
- Enjoyment is a valid reason to paint, sing or dance together, even without a clinical result.
On this page (4 sections)
The creative arts therapies are a family of mental health professions. Each one uses a different art form in a clinical relationship: art, music, dance and movement, drama and poetry. Each has its own training, and each therapist holds a credential specific to their field. This page explains the types, how expressive arts therapy combines them, how they differ from everyday creative activities, and what the dementia research shows.
What are the five creative arts therapies?
The National Endowment for the Arts lists the creative arts therapies. The National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations brings the professional associations together.
Art therapy
Art therapy uses making art, such as painting, drawing, collage or sculpture, within a therapeutic relationship. The therapist works with the person and their art to reach goals set in the plan. Art therapists are credentialed through their own professional bodies. See finding an art therapist for how to check one.
Music therapy
Music therapy uses music, such as listening, singing, playing instruments and writing songs, to work toward clinical goals. The American Music Therapy Association describes the profession. In the United States, music therapists earn the MT-BC credential.
Dance and movement therapy
Dance and movement therapy uses body movement and dance to explore emotion and goals. A trained therapist leads the session and observes how the person moves, responds and connects with others.
Drama therapy
Drama therapy uses role play, storytelling and theatre techniques within a clinical plan. It is led by a trained drama therapist.
Poetry therapy
Poetry therapy uses reading and writing poems, and other written forms, within a therapy relationship. It is led by a trained poetry therapist.
What is expressive arts therapy?
Expressive arts therapy combines more than one art form in a single session. A therapist might move from a drawing to a short poem, then to a movement exercise. It is a therapy approach, not a casual group activity. Like the other creative arts therapies, it is practiced by a trained professional.
How is this different from a sing-along or a craft afternoon?
A sing-along, a painting group or a dance class is a creative activity. It is for enjoyment, company and something to do together. There is no clinical goal, no assessment and no treatment plan.
The difference is in the training and the purpose. A creative arts therapist is trained to work with mental health needs and to plan toward goals. A group leader who sings old songs with a care home group is doing something good and social, but it is not therapy. Neither is worse. They are simply different.
Our music guide and arts and crafts guide describe creative activities for home and care settings. Activities such as drawing to music or making a personal songbook are ordinary creative ideas, not therapy.
What does the dementia research show?
The research is limited. A 2018 Cochrane review looked at art therapy for people with dementia. It found only two small studies, with 88 people in total. The reviewers concluded there was not enough evidence to say whether art therapy works. They rated the evidence as very low quality.
That is a statement about the research, not a reason to avoid enjoyable art. You can still enjoy art and music together for their own sake, without expecting a clinical result. The Alzheimer’s Association’s page on music and art is a starting point for reading more. For ideas that suit different stages, see our reminiscence guide, which pairs well with a photo or music activity.
Common questions
What are the creative arts therapies?
They are mental health professions that use art, music, dance and movement, drama, or poetry. Each has its own training and credential. They are practiced by therapists, not by family members or activity leaders.
Does art therapy help people with dementia?
The research is not clear. A 2018 Cochrane review found only two small studies, with 88 people in total, and concluded there was not enough evidence to say whether art therapy works. The evidence was rated very low quality. That is a statement about research, not a reason to avoid enjoyable art.
Is a sing-along a music therapy session?
No. A sing-along is a creative, social activity. Music therapy is practiced by a trained music therapist, such as an MT-BC in the United States, and involves clinical goals and planning.
Sources
We link to the organizations and studies this page relies on. Each was checked when the page was updated.
- Types of Creative Arts Therapies · National Endowment for the Arts
- What is Music Therapy? · American Music Therapy Association
- National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations · NCCATA
- Art therapy for people with dementia · Cochrane
- Music / Art Therapy, Alzheimer's & Dementia · Alzheimer's Association