Vital Signs: Arts and Health in Context (http://vitalsigns.artscouncil.ie/) is an Arts Council initiative, in partnership with Create, the national development agency for collaborative arts. The Vital Signs programme took place in Dublin from October 14-21 October, 2009 and included a one-day conference in Dublin, a national exhibition in five venues in Dublin 8, and a series of commissioned opinion pieces about arts and health practice.