| Dear Community Partners,
We're excited to officially announce the launch of Franklin's Art Pharmacy Program, beginning May 1, 2025!
Art Pharmacy is a creative well-being initiative launched by the Town of Franklin, grounded in the belief that art can be a powerful path to healing. Backed by opioid settlement funding, this visionary program is led by the Town administration in partnership with local cultural organizations, prescribing partners, and community leaders.
It connects residents with transformative arts and cultural experiences—offering "prescriptions" for creativity that nurture mental health, reduce isolation, and restore a sense of community connection. As noted by Erik Holmgren, Manager of Advancement and Strategic Partnerships at the Massachusetts Cultural Council, 'Franklin is the first municipality in the country to invest in Arts Prescriptions as a public health response to the opioid crisis—prescribing music, dance, visual arts, and more as a new tool for care.' "Funded through the Town's opioid settlement funds, their Arts Prescriptions initiative is designed to support substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery efforts within the community.
Arts Prescription is a proven tool for improving mental health and fostering resilience, and since 2020 Mass Cultural Council has been investing in and developing cross-sector partnerships to establish Arts Prescriptions in the Commonwealth. The arts have historically played a positive role in substance abuse recovery, helping to reduce withdrawal symptoms, cravings, and depression while increasing motivation, treatment eagerness, and enjoyment. By integrating the arts into wellness strategies, the Town of Franklin aims to provide inventive, accessible support for those in need."
Read more from the Massachusetts Cultural Council Blog here.
We're proud to recognize our inaugural Cultural Partner Organizations, who have already signed on:
Here's what Pete from Pete's Nerd Emporium had to say about joining: "Signing up was super easy, especially for how much good the program can do! No cost, no risk to the business; nothing but up side for all involved. Was an absolute no-brainer to sign up." Registration remains open on a rolling basis for cultural organizations and prescribing partners who want to join the network. Please help us spread the word to others who may want to get involved!
To learn more, please visit the Town of Franklin's website a franklinma.gov or the Art Pharmacy landing page to access all forms and details.
Thank you for helping make Franklin a more creative, connected, and compassionate place to live. We can't wait to see the positive ripple effect the Art Pharmacy will have across our community. | 
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