By Marie Tohill, Public Relations Intern 

A health insurance company and an arts nonprofit might seem like an unlikely pairing at first glance. But for Capital Blue Cross, supporting ArtsQuest fits seamlessly into its mission to promote public health and wellness.  

“Our mission at Capital is to improve the health and well-being of our members and the communities we serve, and supporting the arts is an integral part of that effort,” says Vicki Doulé, Lehigh Valley Executive Lead at Capital Blue Cross and a member of the ArtsQuest Board of Trustees. “Arts and culture enhance our quality of life, providing a source of inspiration and learning that helps the Lehigh Valley thrive. For Capital, supporting ArtsQuest is just one of the many ways we go the extra mile for a community we call home.” 

Doulé’s personal relationship with ArtsQuest inspires her to think deeply about the symbiotic relationship between healthcare and the arts.  

“I joined the ArtsQuest board in 2015 and having that long-term connection with ArtsQuest helps me understand at a deeper level the impact it has on our community,” she said.  

Research links engagement with the arts to a number of healthy factors, including decreasing mental distress and increasing life satisfaction. According to Americans for the Arts, the arts have a positive correlation on educational performance as well as developing social-emotional skills and they are beneficial for those with disabilities such as dyslexia, autism, motor skills challenges and speech impediments. And, according to the National Library of Medicine, childhood participation in the arts also correlates to better learning outcomes and a decrease in bullying among youth. 

Doulé said Capital understands how important educational opportunities are to the Lehigh Valley’s collective success and growth as a community. It’s a key reason Capital has such strong relationships with schools, educational foundations and arts and civic organizations that help our children learn and grow. 

“The fact that ArtsQuest offers educational programming to many of those school districts Capital serves as customers is very impactful for us,” she explained. “These programs ensure students have access to the arts, which improves their educational experience, overall.” 

Capital Blue Cross has been an ArtsQuest sponsor since 2007, supporting programs such as Musikfest, Christkindlmarkt, ArtSmart and PEEPSFEST. Doulé said that from the first Musikfest to the development of SteelStacks, she has seen ArtsQuest become a cultural institution in the Lehigh Valley, and Capital Blue Cross is proud to be part of that legacy.  

Capital also lent its support to the brand new ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL, part of the Re-Imagine That! Capital Campaign. And Capital is excited to embark on a new adventure with the Capital Blue Cross Gallery, part of the ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL.  

“The Capital Blue Cross Gallery is one more way we are helping to solidify the arts as a pillar of culture in Bethlehem, and it symbolically demonstrates the continued commitment we have to arts and culture in the region,” Doulé said. 

Doulé is particularly inspired by the long-lasting legacy the gallery represents, with an impact that goes beyond the ribbon cutting. She also hopes Capital’s continued support of ArtsQuest inspires other businesses to follow suit in making commitments to support the arts.  

“Now, more than ever, the arts need us,” she said.