Research has shown the benefits art has on individual and collective well being. The arts are one of the foremost disciplines that prompt us to openly express and bolster our cognitive and emotional skills and intelligence. Based upon art’s ability to nurture the development of our sensitivity, it is an essential way of addressing mental health related issues in an accessible and universal manner (see: Xuguang and Ye, 2022 ; Mercin and Alaku, 2007).
This episode supports the aforementioned research via a conversation on mental health awareness and activism with artist, curator and mental health advocate, Lizz Brady.
Brady is the founder of Broken Grey Wires (BGW), an organization exploring ways to support mental health initiatives by developing a dialogue with leading contemporary artists, communities and audiences. Broken Grey Wires’ Mad Manual Toolkit is a valuable resource that can be used when visiting art spaces to help neurodivergent individuals experience art in relaxed, mindful, and empowered ways. The toolkit features distinctive activities to engage with, each grouped to a particular theme. Audiences are invited to choose as many, or little as they like. The Mad Manual Toolkit will be available both in actual art galleries and museums and online.
This episode is now available on the Artfully Learning YouTube channel (please be sure to subscribe so you get notified of future episodes!).
You can also listen to it below:
References, Notes, Suggested Reading:
Mercin, Levent, and Ali Osman Karakuş. “The necessity of art education for individual and society.” DÜ University Ziya Gökalp Education Faculty Journal 9 (2007): 14-20.
Jin, Xuguang, and Yuan Ye. “Impact of fine arts education on psychological wellbeing of higher education students through moderating role of creativity and self-efficacy.” Frontiers in Psychology 13 (2022). https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.957578/full
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