Medi-Arts Collaborative
Where Medicine, Science, Storytelling, and Creativity Meet
The Medi-Arts Collaborative explores the role of movement, storytelling, performance, and creative expression in health, healing, education, and social change.
We believe the arts can help people express what cannot always be communicated through data or clinical language alone. Creative practices can illuminate lived experience, strengthen community connection, preserve stories, and open new pathways toward understanding and healing.
The Medi-Arts Collaborative provides an umbrella for The Institute’s arts-based and embodied community initiatives.
Jimmi Appleseed Initiative
Jimmi Appleseed is a community-centered storytelling initiative that gathers, preserves, and shares stories of resilience, identity, transformation, and belonging.
By honoring personal and community narratives, Jimmi Appleseed creates opportunities for people whose experiences may be overlooked to be witnessed, valued, and remembered.
We launched on April 30th in San Diego at the Art Garden, a project of Vanguard Culture. Enjoy our 17-minute video overview. Video
Embodiology®
Embodiology® brings together science, art, movement, and embodied wisdom. Its educational and experiential offerings invite participants to explore the body as a source of knowledge, creativity, expression, and connection.
Core of Fire Dance Ensemble
Founded more than two decades ago, Core of Fire welcomes people into an experience that extends beyond performance. Its gatherings invite participants to move, reflect, connect, and rediscover the transformative power of being in community.
Our Impact
Turning Shared Vision into Meaningful Action
The Institute’s impact begins with relationships.
We work with communities and partners to identify needs, build upon existing strengths, and develop programs that are responsive, respectful, and sustainable. We evaluate our work through participation data, community and partner feedback, student learning, research findings, and the ongoing development of local capacity.
Our Impact at a Glance
- 20 students and emerging health professionals engaged
- 9 community and institutional partners
- 5 communities reached locally and globally
- 11 educational, arts, and health programs offered
- Scholarships and subsidized experiences launch in 2027
- 4 research presentations, publications, or scholarly projects
Beyond the Numbers
Numbers help us understand reach. Stories help us understand meaning.
We are committed to reporting not only what we have done, but also what we have learned, where we are growing, and how community feedback informs our next steps.