Every program we run is grounded in peer-reviewed science. Art is not optional — it is intervention.
Upbeat background music improves processing speed and memory retention in older adults, with measurable cognitive gains.
Structured painting programs significantly lower anxiety and depression scores across pre-, mid-, and post-test evaluations.
A 20-minute mindful jazz listening session decreases chronic pain and anxiety in patients — effects lasting 4 weeks later.
Working with clay enhances the somatosensory cortex — critical for balance, coordination, and dampening the pain response.
Systematic review confirms dance has major, lasting impacts on coordination, balance, and memory in older adults.
Moments from our Clay Play and Flow Paint sessions across Palm Beach County.
Each program is designed to target specific neurological pathways through creative engagement.
Working clay improves dexterity and fine motor skills by activating parts of the brain associated with coordination and balance.
Painting to music has been proven to strengthen attention to detail and simultaneously lower both anxiety and depression.
Flowing flag choreography set to music builds mobility, strength, and range of motion, while rhythm and movement work together to sharpen memory and recall.
We bring art sessions into nursing homes and healthcare facilities. Volunteers sit with residents and paint, draw, and create alongside them. No art skills needed. We show you everything when you arrive.
Competitors focus on a single medium or a single disease. We combine multiple art forms with neuroscience-backed programming to serve the whole community.
Every session is designed around published research targeting specific neurological benefits — not guesswork.
We combine clay, painting, music, and movement — engaging different brain regions simultaneously for broader impact.
FAU neuroscience students bring both hands-on care and fresh academic knowledge directly to participants.
We serve multiple facilities and the general public — reaching seniors wherever they are, not only those in specialty programs.
Paint something here. Feel the difference it makes.
We went into the field. We asked our participants. The data speaks for itself.
Participants rated hands-on personal help as the #1 thing they enjoyed most about our sessions.
When asked what else they wanted, participants requested drawing and sculpting — already part of our roadmap.
Zero participants reported a neutral or negative mood shift after completing a JoyWorks session.
Sessions run at Courtyard Gardens, Mangrove Bay, and Addington Place with growing waitlists.
Founded by FAU neuroscience researchers who believe art is medicine.
FAU Class of 2026 · Cellular Neuroscience · Undergraduate Researcher · Pre-Physical Therapy
FAU Class of 2027 · Cellular Neuroscience · Undergraduate Researcher
Whether you donate, volunteer, or attend a class — every act of support ripples out to those who need it most.