Art is Wellness

When we think of wellness, the first ideas that come to mind are usually medicine, physical health, diet, or exercise. But over the past year, we’ve been able to see first-hand the impact of providing arts education to older adults during the pandemic and its contributions to their overall health and wellbeing. It’s time to add art to the conversation of wellness. Initially developed to address social isolation of older adults, we very quickly realized the greater impact of weekly movement and visual arts classes. Participants of this program have created a wonderful community for themselves filled with encouragement, inspiration, and support.

In these classes, tools are provided to address needs of the body, space is created to commune with one another, and leadership is encouraged. While learning about the history of stepping and marching bands at Historically Black Colleges and Universities or New Orleans culture of the second line for instance, participants exchange ideas and collaborate to create choreography. Week after week, The Studio continues to address physical, social, and emotional needs, all of which contribute to wellness. Wellness isn’t just exercising and eating right, it’s also having the space to vent about life and dance with new friends on zoom. It’s about having a space you can come to for self-improvement, continued learning, exploring creativity, and community.