There may be multiple ingredients, mechanisms and simultaneous causal strands required for an arts intervention to be effective for health. Considering this, Dr Warran shares research theorising how determinants of arts engagement (factors that acts as barriers or facilitators) operate at multiple societal levels, arguing that this theorisation is important to work towards equity of engagement. She also views research on the impact of the arts on health in view of wider social factors, exploring the rapid growth of the field which has been considered a social movement and exploring tensions in the field regarding what counts as evidence and why.