Arts for Health
The Mississauga Arts Council is excited about the possibilities for an arts for health program of creative health care services that would deliver the proven health benefits for clients of all ages using creative arts experiences while providing stable employment for artists of all practices.
MAC, as a part of an Arts in Health steering committee, has the following Vision, Mission and Goals.
Vision:
Well being for all through creative expression
Mission:
To make the arts an integral part of healthcare protocols
Goals:
1. Building relationships with primary healthcare providers.
2. Identify medical allies and agencies to work with client groups who can benefit from social prescriptions.
3. Create an inventory of arts organizations willing to provide creative experiences for health services.
Arts for Health Resources
MAC wants to make the public aware of the health benefits of the arts. The resources below document real-world examples of Arts for Health in action across Canada and the globe.
Reports
The culture cure: how prescription art is lifting people out of depression
Originally published in The Guardian by Helen Russell. In a whitewashed studio in northern Denmark, 11 unemployed strangers are embarking on a hearty rendition of Yellow Submarine. Jonas Thrysøe is not one of them. At least, not yet. The 36-year-old has agoraphobia, rarely leaves the house and can’t think of anything worse than a group singalong. And yet by the […]
How a program in Mississauga is helping at-risk refugee youth through art
Originally published in the Mississauga News. A program in Mississauga is helping at-risk refugee youth’s mental health with the simple act of teaching photography. The project, called Flash Forward Photovoice, was founded by Marwa Khobieh and Amina Jalabi in Montreal in 2016 and is now operated out of the Syrian Canadian Foundation in Mississauga by Khobieh and photographer Walaa Mousli. The […]
Instructor uses expressive arts to help others overcome challenges
Originally published by haliburtonecho.ca Instructor Gary Diggins stands on a colourful interlocking rubber floor mat, in a classroom at Haliburton School of Art + Design surrounded by musical instruments as he talks about the power of expressive arts practice. “The expressive art practice is a way of helping a person sit with some of those big things in life and […]
Ottawa Heart Institute taking art therapy to new heights
Originally published on cbc Hospital looking for artists to adorn ceiling tiles with ‘calming and comforting’ scenes Patients recovering at the Ottawa Heart Institute no longer have to lie in their beds staring at the ceiling — soon they’ll be able to gaze at comforting nature scenes instead. The institute is recruiting artists to volunteer their time and talent by adorning some of […]
Seeing stroke recovery through music reminded me why I love my job
Originally published on The Guardian. I’ve been working as an occupational therapist with stroke patients for the past three years. It’s a privilege to be let into people’s lives and to get to know them and their families; but if they’re not getting better, it can be heartbreaking. Working for a full stroke service in Hull, I am always busy. […]
Imagine…Arts For Health
Imagine you’re an executive looking at costs absorbed by your company for lost days at work. How much are employee absences due to depression or illnesses arising from weakened immune systems? Anxiety, stress, they weaken immune systems and make employees vulnerable to diseases. How much does a healthy attitude matter? Or self confidence and a sense of belonging; can they […]
Power of the Arts
Recently over the period of two days (one weekend to be exact) – I immersed myself in the diversity of the arts and received a boost of inspiration taking in music, literary and visual arts related events. I attended the World Premiere of The Mozart Effect performed by the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra in the stunningly beautiful Burlington Centre for the […]
Ontario health-care providers explore social prescriptions to help patients heal without drugs
By Wency Leung, originally published in The Globe and Mail. Myra Rzepa and the people at her crafting workshop are not just making Christmas ornaments. They are part of a new program across Ontario to test the effectiveness of social prescriptions: a non-medical approach that links patients with activities and services in a bid to reduce the need for drugs […]
You can now be prescribed a visit to the ROM by a doctor
Originally published on Daily Hive. Doctors can now prescribe visits to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). The Museum has announced a new health and wellness initiative that will help the well being of many at no cost. As part of a one-year social prescription pilot program, the ROM is working on a collaborative effort with the partners of the ROM’s […]
Art is part of the healing spectrum at new Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital
Originally published in the Oakville Beaver by Nathan Howes, special to the Beaver Halton Healthcare Services (HHS) is a firm believer in the health benefits of art. This was evident Tuesday during its Art of Healing event, where some of the work that’s been loaned or donated to the new Oakville hospital was unveiled. After a presentation and video, residents, […]
