Health psychology and the arts: a conversation.

Critical approaches within health psychology continue to explore new methods of working and new theoretical ideas from other disciplines. One area that remains under-explored is the potential links with the arts. This special issue contains a selection of empirical and theoretical reports on the linkages between health psychology and the arts. It includes arts and health projects in clinical, community and educational contexts; projects with young and old people, projects with people from different social and ethnic background and projects using different forms of art. This article introduces the special issue and uses a dialogic format to consider some of the broader issues.