23rd Annual Society for Arts in Healthcare conference in Detroit

Two weeks ago, 400 passionate arts, writers and musicians convened in Detroit to consider the current state of the field of Arts in Healthcare. Some have trained as artists and musicians, others as therapists and social workers, still others as psychologists and physicians.  The unifying thread was a dedication and knowledge that the arts are a creative force that augment and enhance healing.

It is impossible to adequately summarize the depth and breadth of the remarkable gathering, which seems to grow in scope, energy and enthusiasm from year to year.

Among the highlights for me were:
~Pianist/psychiatrist Dr. Richard Kogan's presentation on the life, psychology and psychopathology of George Gershwin, which included a full scale performance of Rhapsody in Blue!

~Dr. Sandra Bertman, professor of thanatology and palliative care at Mt. Ida College, introduced us to a series of images that expressed the life cycle of birth and death and led a vibrant discussion on perception and appreciation of art.

I was fortunate to be a part of a 3-person panel with Gail Zarren from Young Audiences of Massachusetts and Tanya Maggi from New England Conservatory that presented "Unforeseen Outcomes: Musical Performers and Pathways to Healing.  Together, we explored how musical performances in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities and schools changed the way student musicians, teaching artists and musical healthcare providers looked at patients, families and themselves.  I spoke of the impact chamber music outreach performances has on medical students, Gail spoke about a remarkable YA program, "Together we can Fly" that brings children from a local public school together with children with disabilities at the Massachusetts Hospital School to create art.  Tanya described her program at NEC that opens the eyes of conservatory students to new ways to perform and that "sometimes the best performances with the most impact don't happen on a stage."

The talk was very well attended, and sparked many new conversations on the overlap of music and healing into the fields of medicine and education.

The challenge in each of these settings is to bring education, the arts and healing together and striking the right balance. What a thrill it was to share the table with these two leaders in their f

Tanya Maggi is the director of New England Conservatory’s Community Performances and Partnerships Program, a nationally recognized community outreach program that trains and connects New England Conservatory students with the Boston community. Extensively involved with arts advocacy initiatives across the country and abroad, Ms. Maggi serves on numerous advisory boards and has recently worked on projects with Carnegie Hall, the New York Philharmonic, El Sistema USA, and the St. Louis Symphony.

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Gail Zarren is a long-standing advocate of the arts and arts education. A senior arts program director, she has developed art programs, workshops and events for prek-12 schools and community organizations throughout Massachusetts. She founded Young Audiences of Massachusetts’ Healing Arts for Kids program that provides teaching artist residencies and performances for physically and emotionally challenged children in hospital schools, hospitals and homeless shelters.

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