In 1997, Detroit's artistic community had to deal with the tragic loss of artist Virgil Grady. Inspired by music, especially jazz, Virgil's paintings displayed a sense of motion and flowing lines. Grady's final hours in the hospital were accompanied by a solitary drummer. The rhythms produced a noticeable physical relaxation in him. The dramatic change that touched his body also calmed the entire hospital ward. His wife, Pam, his doctors, and the nursing staff witnessed the link between music and physical well-being -- a link facilitiated through an artist-healer.

Inspired by this dramatic experience, Pam Grady formed the Creative Healing Initiative Partnership (CHIP) in 1998 as a tribute to her husband. Pam knew that music was a link to healing. She also knew of the tremendous need for affordable health care for musicians and other artists.

Metropolitan Detroit is home to several hundred self-employed performing, visual, literary, and media artists. However, there is a lack of knowledge in the arts community of affordable healthcare and health wellness education. The number of uninsured artists is not known.