Chasing Summer Art

By Barbara K. Stump, MA

Summer is here, and if you live in Michigan, this is arguably one of the best seasons of the year. The longer days, sunsets, outdoor activities—all easily accessible in the Great Lakes State, are hard to beat. Speaking of activities, do you feel like you exercise more in the summer? I know I do. It is so much more enjoyable in the summer, and we all know it’s good for our health, which can in turn help with longevity. You know what else might be good for your health and longevity? Engaging in the arts!  I’m not pulling your leg here, an article published May 14, 2026, in CNN online, Life, But Better, shares a study that states, “Engaging with arts and culture can slow biological aging as much as exercise.” In the era of eating more protein,  and adding supplements to our diets, this might be the easiest to digest. 

In the CNN online article, Life, But Better, researchers from University College London (UCL) analyzed seven different aging clocks—that determine a person’s biological age, in more than 3,500 people from the United Kingdom. One of the co-authors of the study, Feifei Bu, a principal research fellow in statistics/epidemiology with the Social Biobehavioral Research Group in the Department of Behavioral Science and Health, discussed the positive benefits. “Theoretically, one way the arts could affect health is through biological processes. Our study provides evidence to support this.” Bu explained, “that the arts cover a wide range of activities, with different ‘active ingredients,’ such as aesthetics, sensory or physical stimulation, and social interaction.” Furthermore, to the researchers, their results did not come as a big surprise because previous studies linked connections between, “cultural engagement and better health outcomes in areas such as cognition, depression, and mortality, she (Bu) explained, but this is the first one to examine biological aging.”

Looking for ways to engage in the arts more? Summer Art Festivals provide an opportunity to connect with other artists, find art for your home, spend an afternoon with friends and family, or maybe go on a date.  A lot of festivals have food trucks available for lunch. Plus you can snack, while you stroll, on kettle corn, homemade sweets, specialty coffees, boba tea, and more. Some festivals also host area specific non-profit specialties that are interesting to learn about. Such as the North Sky Raptor Sanctuary which is a non-profit bird of prey (hawks, eagles, falcons, owls, vultures, osprey, kites, harriers) rehabilitation center in the Grand Traverse Area.