ART THERAPY

These photographs show two women at work. Describe and compare the photos and say how you
think each woman uses art in her work.

Match the words on your list with their meanings.

1. perspectives a. a large piece of art that is painted or drawn on a wall

2. vulnerable b. an item that schoolchildren used in the past to write on with chalk

3. reflection c. deep, serious thought, often about yourself or your experiences

4. slate d. easily hurt, attacked, or influenced

5. mural e. results or effects

6. outcomes f. ways of looking at something, points of view

1. desperate a. already decided by someone else, fixed

2. set b. a type of art made by putting cut or torn paper together to form an image

3. intrigued c. interested by something unusual

4. collage d. in the end, finally

5. ultimately e. meetings where people do something together and discuss what they’ve done

6. workshops f. very serious or bad

Art therapy changes lives
Museums bring new perspectives

1. Dave Tovey had experienced a lot of bad luck in his life; he was seriously ill, homeless, and thinking of
suicide. But after a chance conversation with a security guard, Tovey moved into a night shelter where they
were running an art therapy program. He started taking photos the next day, and this completely turned his
life around. Today he’s a teacher, artist, and activist.

2. It may seem like a low priority to offer an art class to people in desperate circumstances. But art therapy is
becoming an important part of an effective package of support for all sorts of vulnerable people, including the
homeless and patients using mental health services.

3. People seeking help to change their lives are often offered traditional psychotherapy in a hospital setting,
which encourages them to use words to express their feelings. This sometimes includes art therapy, which
allows people to express themselves through art instead of, or as well as, through words. Museum-based art
therapy takes this idea a bit further by introducing people to collections of objects that they can respond to.
One group of researchers in the UK set out to investigate how this works.

4. In their experiment, a group of seven young adults with mental health difficulties explored museum
collections and then created some art using a range of materials. At first, they followed set tasks, for example,
finding three objects to represent their past, present, and future. As the project continued, they took more
responsibility for choosing objects to respond to. The end of each session included time for reflection and
group discussion.

5. The researchers found that people see themselves in the objects they find in museums. An object may
stimulate a strong emotion or represent current or past life experiences. Looking at these objects seems to
help participants develop greater self-understanding. One woman in the program was intrigued by a school
slate she found in a museum collection. She used this idea to design a modern item which could "wipe away
the past" so that the user could "start again." Another participant was inspired by a Roman pot, which had
been repaired, to create a collage showing that she was "piecing together" different parts of her life. Not all
participants chose to produce a piece of art, but they still benefitted from using objects for self-reflection.

6. Researchers also found that when an art therapy program takes place in a local museum, it helps the
participants to feel more connected to their community and less "set apart" by their mental health difficulties.
One participant said, "You feel like you are a real person working on your own personal goals rather than just a
patient going through treatment." These programs also help to build relationships between group members
and inspire creativity and playfulness; one young person remarked that as the sessions went on, "the group
loosened up."

7. Homeless people can also benefit from participating in art projects. The city of Manchester ran a week-long
International Arts and Homelessness Festival and Summit in 2018. As part of this event, a charity brought
together artists and people with experience of homelessness to produce photographs and a street mural. The
city recognizes that arts-based activities are an important part of the support they need to offer homeless
people, along with accommodation, food, and medical treatment. They believe that participation in the arts
gives vulnerable people new perspectives and ultimately leads to better outcomes for them.

8. These days, Dave Tovey runs art workshops at homeless shelters in London. "When you’re in a secure, safe
environment, focusing on drawing or mucking about with materials, you’re more likely to share your
problems," he says. "That’s why it’s so powerful. It gets people talking." Therapists agree that talking is the first
step to making changes and moving forward.

Sources: theguardian.com, theconversation.com

Read the sentences below and decide if they agree with the information given in the article (page
4). Write YES if they agree, NO if they do not agree, and NOT GIVEN if we cannot find information
in the article about this.

1. Dave Tovey’s situation changed overnight.

2. Most people would say that art is extremely important to vulnerable groups.

3. The majority of mental health patients refuse to take part in traditional psychotherapy.

4. The group in the experiment became more independent as the weeks went on.

5. Two people can look at the same object and see something different.

6. One of the people in the experiment never forgot that she was taking part in a mental health
program.

7. The city of Manchester believes that art programs for homeless people have an immediate effect.

8. Dave Tovey believes that the key to success for art therapy is making people feel relaxed.
1. What type of museums and galleries do you enjoy visiting the most? Why?

2. What do you think of the idea of art therapy?

3. Which aspect of museum-based art therapy do you think is the key to its apparent success?

4. To what extent do you agree with Manchester council’s approach to tackling homelessness?

5. What would you like to ask Dave Tovey or another homeless person if you could meet them?

6. Have you heard of any other types of projects that offer people the chance to join in activities as

therapy?