Skip to main content

Arts in Health Research Collective launches

Concordia’s Department of Creative Arts Therapies (CATS) offically launches their new initiative, the AHRC
December 11, 2017
|
By Marieke Gruwel


Creative Arts Therapies Department. Photo by Dougy Hérard. Creative Arts Therapies Department. First row, left to right: Yehudit Silverman, Jessica Bleuer, Heather Mclaughlin, and Josee Leclerc. Second row, left to right: Mary Rawlins, Bonnie Harnden, Rebecca Duclos, Sandi Curtis, Stephen Snow, Graham Carr, and Joanabbey Sack. Photo by Dougy Hérard.

Concordia’s Department of Creative Arts Therapies (CATS) has offically launched their new initiative, the Arts in Health Research Collective (AHRC). The new collective focuses on research collaborations between the creative arts therapists and community partners in the field of arts and health.

The research projects of each collective member were presented at the ARHC official launch in November. Attendees were able to engage in an important dialogue with the researchers.

“We wanted to highlight the important and unique contributions the arts can make towards health and healing,” says Yehudit Silverman, department chair.

“We also wanted to increase public and community awareness of our role as leaders in research in the area of Arts in Health.”

AHRC: Big plans for 2017

Members of the collective are involved in seventeen different research projects. Members take a creative arts therapies approach to a diverse number of projects, including working with trauma and personal growth through the use of myths and fairy tales; raising awareness about suicide; advocacy for child and adult survivors of abuse; addressing rape culture on campus; working with families and persons with dementia; alleviating the stigma around mental illness; working with those affected by autism; healing family trauma, bereavement, and many more.

The ARHC has big plans for the upcoming year. In addition to increasing the number of collective members, the ARHC plans to reach out to community groups and professionals working in the area.

Collective members will also continue to work on their ongoing projects. Silverman is working on her Interfaith Arts Dialogue documentary film project, while two other ARHC members, Stephen Snow and Bonnie Harnden, will work on developing films based on their previous research plays.

“Each researcher is forming new interdisciplinary partnerships and expanding the scope of their research,” says Silverman. “We hope to encourage exchange and offer opportunities for new innovative partnerships.”

Photo highlights  

Yehudit Silverman (right) and Guylaine Vaillancourt (left). Silverman is the principle investigator for the research projects The Story Within, the Seeds of Hope, Interfaith Arts Dialogue, and The Hidden Face of Suicide. Vaillancourt is the principle investigator for several community music therapy projects including youth at risk and intergenerational singing. Photo by Dougy Hérard.

Yehudit Silverman (right) and Guylaine Vaillancourt (left). Silverman is the principle investigator for the research projects The Story Within, the Seeds of Hope, Interfaith Arts Dialogue, and The Hidden Face of Suicide. Vaillancourt is the principle investigator for several community music therapy projects including youth at risk and intergenerational singing. Photo by Dougy Hérard.

Rebecca Duclos, Dean of Fine Arts, speaking at the AHRC launch. Photo by Dougy Hérard.

Rebecca Duclos, Dean of Fine Arts, speaking at the AHRC launch. Photo by Dougy Hérard.

The Music Therapy Group. First row, left to right: Sandi Curtis, Guylaine Vaillancourt, Hélène Century. Second row, left to right: Deborah Josephson, Suzanne Caron, Kristen Corey, Julie Migner-Laurin, Dany Bouchard, Julien Peyrin, and Daniel Kruger. Photo by Dougy Hérard.

The Music Therapy Group. First row, left to right: Sandi Curtis, Guylaine Vaillancourt, Hélène Century. Second row, left to right: Deborah Josephson, Suzanne Caron, Kristen Corey, Julie Migner-Laurin, Dany Bouchard, Julien Peyrin, and Daniel Kruger. Photo by Dougy Hérard.

The National Centre for Dance Therapy (NCDT) research group, a division of les grands division of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal. First row, from left to right: Bonnie Swaine, Guylaine Vaillancourt, and Yehudit Silverman. Second row, from left to right: Michèle Deschamps, Christian Senechal, Pierre Band, Frédérique Poncet, and Alida Esmail. Photo by Dougy Hérard.

The National Centre for Dance Therapy (NCDT) research group, a division of les grands division of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal. First row, from left to right: Bonnie Swaine, Guylaine Vaillancourt, and Yehudit Silverman. Second row, from left to right: Michèle Deschamps, Christian Senechal, Pierre Band, Frédérique Poncet, and Alida Esmail. Photo by Dougy Hérard.



Back to top

© Concordia University