Inaugural CREATE Community Events Feature UK Arts in HealthCare and UK School of Visual Arts and Studies

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 15, 2017) – Founded in partnership by the Lexington community and staff and faculty from UK Arts in HealthCare and the University of Kentucky School of Art and Visual Studies, CREATE aims to expand, promote and raise awareness of the ways in which the arts positively affect health and wellness.

To showcase the cutting edge programs and therapies that UK HealthCare and the University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts have implemented, including Arts in HealthCare, art therapy and music therapy, CREATE will exhibit during the upcoming LexArts Gallery Hop.

“Expressions of Hope and Healing through the Arts” will be open from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 17, at Arts Place. The exhibit will feature artwork created by patients from the Markey Cancer Center and Eastern State Hospital as well as works by several community artists and art instructors.

In addition to the visual art exhibit, Associate Professor Allan Richards and researcher Ann Tietyen from the School of Art and Visual Studies will demonstrate innovative art applications for enhancing the quality of life for persons with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Following the Gallery Hop exhibit, CREATE will present a panel discussion from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 18, at Arts Place.  Panelists will discuss the theoretical basis and implementation of their approach to healing through the arts.  The panelists include art therapist Fran Belvin, music therapist Austin Robinson, psychologist Gary Stewart, art historian Linda Stratford, Arts in HealthCare specialist Jason Akhtarekhavari and moderator Jesse Mark. 

The public is invited to participate with questions and comments.  There is no charge for the event and attendees may bring lunch to enjoy during the discussion.