arts health and wellbeing panel discussion // Te Papa Tongarewa Museum Of New Zealand // 2018

Panellists from science, health, education, and arts backgrounds explore how the relationship between the arts and health can offer diverse and dynamic settings for expressive restorative, educational, and therapeutic benefits. The panel was curated by Tiffany Singh. The focus of the wellbeing weekend was to explore the role creative industry for contemporary audiences by drawing alliances and connections to Health and Education Sectors.

By exploring these ideas we hope to address the underrepresented positive affects of art on society.

Panellists:
Tiffany Singh is a social practise artist, specialising in socially engaged art outcomes. Her practice explores the relationship between engagement in arts, culture and subjective well-being. Her social practice approach is informed by eastern philosophy with a lens towards acknowledging traditional devices that affect well-being to foster unique art and social impact outcomes.

Ella Brewer leads a group of Auckland teachers investigating mindfulness. Her work aims to connect the health, education, and visual arts sectors to support wellbeing. Ella has studied Buddhism in the Vajrayana school of Tibetan Buddhism, and engages teenagers in art / mindfulness education at Auckland Central Community of Schools (ACCoS).

Catherine Spence led the Social Care Team at Hospice West Auckland, and is an art psychotherapist with experience working in mental health and well-being. Catherine was the hand over person for Tiffany Singh’s McCahon residency project Calling A Circle He Karanga Pae. This project has since been established at Hospice West Auckland as community arts engagement practise for patients and families coming to terms with loss through death.

Martin Awa Clarke Langdon is an artist, a co-director of a social entrepreneurial group, and a Museum Education Specialist at Te Papa. He has exhibited, curated, and created small and large community-based projects throughout Aotearoa.

Recorded Fri 4 May 2018

More information about Tiffany Singh’s work: tepapa.nz/tiffanysingh