"ART HEALS!" Philosophy
At Free Arts we believe that, "ART HEALS!" We like to think of art as therapy.
This philosophy is grounded in over three decades of first-hand experiences supporting a growing body of research that shows a strong relationship between children’s participation in the arts and improved life outcomes.
We have seen:
- Tiffany walk a little taller after completing a print-making project
- Jose find a voice through self-portraiture that speaks louder than the one inside telling him to fight
- Maria inspired to continue art journaling as a way to mitigate her depression
Dr. Mark S. Goulston, a psychiatrist and former Free Arts Advisory Board member, describes how art helps children overcome trauma in the following way:
A part of the child still remains frozen with development on hold until the terror can be told to someone who will listen. Only then can the person become unstuck and start growing again. But how do you talk about it when there is no language to express it? In the past, telling anybody usually resulted in ridicule or punishment. Fortunately, children have another channel to express themselves – through art, music, poetry, dance, dramatics and writing. It is only a matter of giving a child access to what they already have, and teaching them to tune in and hear their feelings and fears. Each time a child gets through to us, they feel an inkling of trust and a ray of hope. They know they really do exist. That they aren’t nothing. That they aren’t nobodies.
Free Arts provides children with opportunities to express themselves creatively in safe and encouraging environments. Our success means children experience:
- An open and uninhibited space encouraging self-expression and creativity that introduces kids to new or different possibilities and opportunities
- A momentary escape allowing them to use their imagination to have fun through the arts and to interact with volunteers who act as positive role models providing non-judgmental, consistent and respectful support
- A creative experience designed to promote self-worth, empowerment and successful participation
- Opportunities to develop creative skills from exposure to new mediums, materials, and techniques
Painting, dance, photography, mixed-media collage and music are just some of the avenues of creativity made available to the children participating in our programs. We value the creative process over the physical art product, acknowledging children’s persistence and creativity instead of judging the “quality” of their artwork or artistic expression.
