How hip hop heals, the bridge between Aboriginal health and art, and how music helps reduce anxiety in older adults were topics at the “What Does Art Have To Do With Health?” webinar I attended in June. It was hosted by Kira Tozer, of the Arts Health Network Canada. The Population Health Improvement Research Network University of Ottawa was also a sponsor of the webinar.

Over 50 participants joined in on an online chat and a live telephone conference while they viewed three presentations. Here are some highlights of the informative presentations:

First, Amy Clements-Cortes (PhD, MTA, MT-BC, FAMI) presented Arts (Music) in Health Care Settings. Amy is a music therapist, a performer and vocal teacher.

After explaining different music therapy applications such as songwriting, song choice, singing, and lyric analysis, she noted that music therapy can be used in palliative care as a way to help say goodbye. It helps a person relax and decrease the perception of pain. For example, a patient could choose songs to express sentiment and represent different periods in their life.

She also gave examples of “Glee” groups in nursing homes, which reduced anxiety and fostered a love of singing by the participants. She cited Buddy’s Glee: Multi-Phase Studies on Singing for « older adults who were cognitively intact or diagnosed with dementia and participated in weekly choir sessions. »

Amy concluded that music and the Creative Arts are « important tools in encouraging our residents to participate in meaningful activity when many other opportunities are limited or too challenging for them. »

The second presentation, Creative Arts and Health: Practices in Northern and Indigenous British Columbian Communities, was presented by Sarah de Leeuw (PhD Arts in Medical Education). Sarah is an Associate Professor with the University of Northern British Columbia’s Northern Medical Program, a researcher with the National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health, and the Director of the new Health Arts Research Centre.

She outlined systemic challenges in these communities and how the arts and humanities have lots to offer to alleviate these challenges. She cited that any health intervention has to include the whole being and the need to merge Indigenous works with arts-based methodologies.

As an example, she cited Art Days where Indigenous Arts were brought into dialogue with the medical field. Nurses would visit galleries and learn about various artworks created by Indigenous artists. Also, in Northern BC, people come together to make art for day. This strategy brings healthcare professionals out of their expert zone. Undergrads who are also brought to the community to learn about vulnerability, meet on equal footing.

She outlined concepts they want participants to leave with include « thinking about the creative arts when teaching and practising medicine and creative expression. »

The final presentation was Stephen Leafloor’s (MSW), who presented Community Arts, Health Promotion & Prevention. Stephen is the founder of BluePrintForLife, a program that uses hip hop as a community development tool and model for alternative education and healing. BluePrintForLife is a community partner on the ArtBridges website.

Stephen talked about the history of hip hop and cited that hip hop is used around the world as a youth engagement tool.

He addressed the challenges of “rage, trauma, and loss of identity exist everywhere, but it’s systemically unaddressed in First Nations and Inuit communities.” He explored the ways hip hop can help people heal and how it can help build communities. He pointed out that the performances are often the largest gathering in the history of the community. Youth gain confidence, and the process reverses power and control.

He also talked about intergenerational healing programs, the effects of residential schools and other programs working with youth with disabilities and young offenders.

He concluded with a vision for the future to: mobilize the global hip hop community to return to its roots of building communities and to inspire others to dig deep into their own healing by developing hip hop outreach wherever rage and trauma exist.

The webinar ended with discussions about what kind of infrastructure exists for Arts and Health and the need for more inter-disciplinary arts projects.

-Sonya Young, ArtBridges Outreach Coordinator
-photo from BluePrintForLife’s Profile on ArtBridges
Read BluePrintForLife’s profile and Arts Health Network Canada’s profile on ArtBridges’ Community-Engaged Arts Directory and Map