AATA
October 6, 2016
The American Art Therapy Association and our friends at Americans for the Arts are celebrating October as National Arts and Humanities Month! President Obama has already kicked things off by issuing an official White House Proclamation that articulates the importance of the arts and culture in our history and in our future. He states, “In many ways, the arts and humanities reflect our national soul. They are central to who we are as Americans—as dreamers and storytellers, creators and visionaries. By investing in the arts, we can chart a course for the future in which the threads of our common humanity are bound together with creative empathy and openness.”
Get Involved
- This year, the #ShowYourArt campaign has been designed to engage arts advocates on local, state, and national levels, and to bring awareness of National Arts and Humanities Month to the public. For each day in October, the #ShowYourArt campaign will be issuing a unique theme that challenges participants to showcase how art is reflected in those themes every day. See p. 2 of this article for daily themes.
- Participate in the National Creative Conversation on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016 from 9-10 p.m. ET to connect and chat with arts advocates nationwide about the arts in communities. The conversation will focus on the question of “Where are the arts popping up in your community?”
- Using these resources, organize and host a community event at a local arts venue.
- Boost your creativity by joining in the Creative Sprint, a global art game that engages individuals, businesses, schools, and community organizations for 30 consecutive days of art making and sharing.
Art therapists are uniquely positioned to speak on the role of the creative arts in mental health, a topic of great importance for individuals, communities, organizations, and legislation. Join us in promoting National Arts and Humanities month and raising awareness for the importance of the arts!