Critical reflections and future perspectives on research in arts and health: Network meeting and conference 3-4 April 2025 Salzburg, Austria

The inaugural meeting of the International Network for the Critical Appraisal for Arts and Health Research (INCAAHR) took place in person and online on 3 April 2025, followed by a one-day conference in person and online on 4 April 2025. The background for these meetings lies in a series of papers published between 2021-24 by us and a growing number of colleagues of INCAAHR internationally, identifying concerns with the quality and accuracy of research and evidence reviews in the field of arts and health (Clift et al., 2021, 2022, 2024; Grebosz-Haring et al., 2022, 2023; Kaasgaard et al., 2024). The goal of these two events was to reflect on recent developments in the field. We aimed to raise the profile of arts and health, and arts in medicine across Austria, while also learning from good practice internationally and from recent developments in the United States and the UK, supported by the World Health Organization. It appeared timely to us to engage in a balanced and constructive discussion concerning the current state of research in arts for health.<br /><br />The conference was organised by the Interuniversity Organisation Science & Arts (University of Salzburg and Mozarteum University Salzburg), and we were aided in the planning and running of the two events by staff at Salzburg Global/Health Programs, and Salzburg Institute for Arts in Medicine. We had the pleasure of meeting at Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg, home of the von Trapp family in The Sound of Music.