This session explores the design, implementation, and evaluation of a community-based art therapy initiative that emerged in the immediate aftermath of a school shooting and evolved into a sustained, two-year program supporting community healing. Initially conceived as a short-term, open studio experience housed within a museum, the program offered accessible, dropin art therapy support to a wide cross-section of the community during the earliest days of collective grief and disruption. As community needs became more apparent, the initiative expanded beyond its original scope—transitioning into ongoing, weekly art therapy groups that provided continuity, structure, and relational support over time.
The program’s impact and resonance led to its selection for funding through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayor’s Public Art Challenge, enabling the integration of community-informed public art projects. These projects both reflected and extended the therapeutic work of the groups, creating visible, shared expressions of meaning-making and connection within the broader community. Over the course of the program, the onset of COVID-19 introduced new challenges and layers of stress. Participants described drawing upon skills, insights, and relationships developed through the art therapy groups to navigate the uncertainties of the pandemic. The public art components also served as touchpoints for continued engagement and coping during periods of isolation.
This session will examine key considerations in designing responsive, community-centered art therapy programming in the context of crisis, including how to balance immediacy with sustainability and how programs can evolve in alignment with emerging needs. It will also highlight implementation lessons related to group cohesion, accessibility, and partnership with community institutions. Finally, the presenters—an art therapist and qualitative researcher, and a program evaluation expert—will share findings from the program’s evaluation, offering insights into participant experiences, perceived impacts, and the role of art therapy in fostering individual and collective healing over time. Participants will leave with practical considerations for adapting and evaluating similar initiatives in their own communities.
