Therapy Through the Arts
An innovative organization with an ambitious agenda!
Therapy Through the Arts is a volunteer-run registered charitable organization dedicated to providing art therapy programming to agencies and institutions dealing with mental, emotional and physical health issues at no cost to participants.
Founded by Ann Francis Oakes in 2008, Therapy Through the Arts has achieved a great deal in a short time. In spring 2009, TTA launched its pilot program at an inner city school working with behaviourally challenged children. Not only is this program still running one year later, but six more are running or have been approved in the GTA - serving the needs of young adults with dual diagnoses in a residential setting, palliative seniors in a world-renowned geriatric centre, and children in chronic pain at a children's hospital. Proposals have been received by several other major agencies.
In August 2009, Therapy Through the Arts received its charitable status with Canada Revenue Agency.
Last March, TTA held its second annual art auction fundraiser at the Women's Art Association, raising enough funds to continue existing programming throughout the year.
Therapy Through the Arts encourages art therapists to propose programs, which are submitted to a board of directors made up of professionals with business or therapy experience. If approved, TTA provides funding for the program as well as reasonable art materials expenses.
Third Annual Art Auction
April 2011
Stay tuned for details
Therapy Through the Arts has a number of goals:
- To provide art therapy programming at no cost to participants
- To achieve increased opportunities for art therapists
- To promote art therapy as an evidence-based therapeutic modality
- To generate greater public awareness of art therapy
- To educate other medical and mental health practitioners about art therapy
