Making the news recently was a £70,000 polished stone in front of a london hospital. The hospital sees this as an investment which will add up to its 'Welcoming and Reassuring' environment.
More than luxury, more than just an image makeover, such artistic installations are seen to produce a better feeling across people living/working in the environment.
Read this BBC Article on the news item and discussions on similar art installations.
My Opinion
Personally, I do not know whether art heals.. we are talking about sculptures and paintings here. I am one of those who don't have the patience to learn something from sculptures or paintings. I do like to stare a while at a good painting or sculpture, and feel interested on the person who did it.. I am indeed myself had and have interest in these forms of art. But I feel they can only add up to a place which is already healing, which is already welcoming and reassuring.
I anyway, do not have the same opinion about all forms of art.
If dance is a form of art, Yes, If music is a form of art, Yes! They heal. You can lose yourself and your environment with these forms of art and imagine what the music or dance is talking to you.
There are many other things I would prioritize in the 'Best Art Forms' list if I was asked to prepare one, rather than painting and sculpting.
I consider taking care of animals, an art, gardening aesthetically with consideration for both the plants and the people living in the environs is an art, cooking a fulfilling dish for yourself or someone is an art...Servicing your customer, taking care of patients, carrying out a proper funeral, organizing a marriage, living around with people, friends, family members with their differences .. is an art...doing social work to your hearts content is an art, and so on.
You should have a good environment already to put a painting to talk.
You should have a time-relative ambience and clean environs to put a sculpture representing a specific time .. to talk.
Paintings and Sculptures are good art forms... but, they are very gradually being used only in context of adding beauty, modernization, and more so as luxury art forms.
