WHO WE ARE

O+ (pronounced “O Positive”) was established in 2010 in Kingston, NY when a small group of artist-activists, a few doctors, and a dentist came together with the idea to bring a band to town in exchange for dental work. We all benefit from the arts, and yet creative people in our communities continue to struggle with access to affordable healthcare. So we thought: What if we took money out of the system and instead valued each other’s work equally? A dental filling is as valuable as a painting, a song keeps us well like a check-up with a primary care doctor, and so on.  

Three months after that initial meeting, O+ Festival – and the first exchange of the art of medicine for the medicine of art  – was born.

Over the last 13 years, O+ has expanded in all ways. What started as a conversation between a dentist and an artist has grown into a national nonprofit working to help creatives of all stripes access health and wellness services, amplify the importance of arts, and build more resilient communities. 

O+ is headquartered in Kingston, NY, on the ancestral lands of the Munsee Lenape People. We take inspiration from their healing and well-being practices in addition to their legacy of exchange.

Meet our National Team

WHAT WE DO

Exchanging with others is a time-honored tradition. At O+ we developed a model that we call “exchanging the art of medicine for the medicine of art.” We do this primarily through the O+ Festival, an annual weekend-long celebration where musicians, and artists of all genres, mediums, and modalities come together to share their gifts with the public in exchange for a variety of services donated by doctors, dentists, and complementary care providers. Since 2010, we’ve provided thousands of health services to creatives in the Hudson Valley and beyond. 

We also build long-term relationships between creatives and health & wellness providers to help strengthen local communities. We partner with local organizations and practitioners to provide Narcan and CPR training in Kingston, organize expos of local health-related nonprofits, and offer cycling events, classes in the healing arts, mural tours, music performances, dance parties, and healthcare forums.

In 2023, O+  hired a medical doctor to establish Exchange Wellness, PLLC –  a year-round, no-cost, exchange-based clinic for artists and musicians. The goal is to expand the services we have provided at the annual three-day O+ Festival into a sustainable model for care available 365 days a year.

O+ Mission

Through the exchange of art and music for medicine, O+ empowers communities to take control of their collective wellbeing

Mission

Through the exchange of art and music for medicine, O+ empowers communities to take control of their collective well-being . When artists and musicians thrive, so do culture and our communities as a whole.

Vision

O+ envisions thriving, diverse, creative communities through the establishment of a culture of care wherein an individual’s value is based on their contribution to the collective, and everyone has equitable access to the healing power of both art and medicine.

Values

Radical: We are committed to building more equitable and just models of care that value the contributions of each individual to communities as a whole. 

Compassionate: We recognize the dignity and humanity within each individual and take action to create meaningful change in our communities. We operate on principles of mutual respect, collaboration, and empathy. 

Creative: We are a group of artists, musicians, and makers. We value curiosity and seek out innovative ways to support creative communities.

O+ envisions thriving, diverse communities where a person’s value is based on their contribution to the whole and everyone has access to the arts and wellness.

AIMS

  • Help O+ audiences and participants access the breadth of wellness services & healing modalities locally available
  • Curate work from artists who have been marginalized and/or underrepresented
  • Produce public art that reflects the history and culture of our diverse communities
  • Celebrate and amplify the work of writers, musicians, and artists of all genres, mediums, modalities, and identities
  • Connect our alumni with healthcare providers, wellness practitioners, preventative health education, and pathways to care
  • Collaborate with organizations like The Entertainment Community Fund, Sound Mind, HAAM, etc., that share our values and the goal of building networks of accessible care for creative communities
  • Use our collective talents to heal and strengthen the neighborhoods that we call home

Mission

O+ empowers communities to take control of their collective well-being through the exchange of art and music for medicine. When artists and musicians thrive, so too do culture and our communities as a whole.

Vision

O+ envisions thriving, diverse, creative communities through the establishment of a culture of care wherein an individual’s value is based on their contribution to the collective, and everyone has equitable access to the healing power of both art and medicine.

Values

Radical: We are committed to building more equitable and just models of care that value the contributions of each individual to communities as a whole. 

Compassionate: We recognize the dignity and humanity within each individual and take action to create meaningful change in our communities. We operate on principles of mutual respect, collaboration, and empathy. 

Creative: We are a group of artists, musicians, and makers. We value curiosity and seek out innovative ways to support creative communities.

Underinsured artists and musicians create and perform in exchange for a variety of services donated by doctors, dentists and complementary care providers. O+ (pronounced O Positive) calls this exchange the art of medicine for the medicine of art.

WHO WE ARE

Founded in 2010 in Kingston, NY by a small group of artists-activists, doctors and a dentist, O+ is now a national nonprofit working in cities around the country.

WHAT WE DO

We build long-term relationships between creatives and health & wellness providers to help strengthen local communities. Our year-round efforts culminate in one-day and weekend-long celebrations, during which underinsured artists and musicians create and perform in exchange for a variety of services donated by doctors, dentists and complementary care providers.
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Press

To interview a member of the team, connect with one of our alumni, or obtain high-res photos, contact