Ky. organization aims to enhance relationship between art and healthcare

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Whether we’re watching movies to unwind or listening to upbeat music to hype ourselves up, the arts impact us in numerous ways, and now, one organization is looking to bridge any gaps between the arts and our mental and physical well-being.

Saturday marked LexArts’ Arts and Health Symposium, an event in partnership with the Arts and Health Alliance of Central Kentucky.

LexArts Vice President Nathan Zamarron said these events help to explore how the arts can play a role in healthcare.

“There’s a ton of research on how effective the arts can be in addressing healthcare needs and really just creating a healing environment, but also engage people and help us get your mind off the stress of what you’re going through, and get things out that are hard to put into words sometimes,” Zamarron said.

The symposium highlights different topics like the benefits of art therapy for those with cognitive impairments and how art can heal us after disaster strikes.

There were also resources present at Saturday’s event, like New Vista, which understands the role art can play on our mental well-being.

“We’ve created these coloring sheets. Its a way to just get out all kinds of emotions, talk about them, or just feel them out on the page, and I think that’s a really great avenue to express yourself. Even just to get out and partake in the arts helps with mental health and makes you feel a little less alone in the world,” said Whitney Sampson, New Vista’s community outreach specialist.

Attendee Claudia Love Mair said she’s excited to see how the symposium will impact the Lexington community.

“That’s what we all need right now, that we’re all artists, that we can all use the arts to express ourselves and in that expression, it heals us,” Mair said.

Zamarron said LexArts will be rolling out similar events like this throughout 2025.