Art as a tool for social change

When I arrived they sent me to a residence for people with disabilities, since we were in confinement and they could not leave their residence, from the first moment I identified that the people were bored, they did not have much to do, it was clear that they wanted to go out to walk, paint, draw, work, however the staff did not do much to change this situation, they made excuses or simply did not want to do it, they did not see it as a priority.

I began to visit the other groups and see what activities people were doing, most of them had monotonous routines and most of the activities they did were painting mandalas or putting together puzzles. However, there was a group whose leader was Lucia, a professional in the field of education and nursing. Her group was the most beautiful of all. People were painting, drawing, cooking, etc. all the time. They seemed very entertaining and that is where I once again realized that there are professionals who do not love what they do.

Lucia for me is a complete professional and uses art as a tool for social change, adapting to the personal circumstances of each person she works with, and that is how she inspired me to follow her example, and propose activities to my work groups.

They received it with great enthusiasm, and I am pleased to say that the people I work with appreciate this detail that I have with them, and they see first-hand the benefits of having leisure activities and free time that are so necessary in these times.

There is a discipline called Art Therapy which is a type of artistic therapy that consists of the use of art as a therapeutic route. It is used to heal psychological disorders, treat fears, personal blocks, past traumas, etc.

But, apart from merely therapeutic purposes, Art Therapy is a technique for personal development, self-knowledge and emotional expression. Therefore it is not necessary to have any psychological disorder, but simply feel the need to explore ourselves through art. Art therapy is manifested through painting, theater, modeling, collage, dance, sculpture, music, etc.

Its origin comes from:

• Art: Creative activity with an aesthetic purpose in which the person expresses feelings and emotions through different materials, techniques and procedures.

• Therapy: Process that is carried out with the aim of curing, alleviating or improving problems, symptoms and illnesses.

TA is categorized by the World Health Organization as an area of labor confluence of the arts, health and education and therefore can be exercised by psychologists, teachers, social educators, occupational therapists, artists, sociocultural entertainers, etc.

Thus, art goes from being the result of an autonomous creation with an end in itself to becoming a powerful tool that invites us to question what is happening in our environment and to transmit values, generating change and transformation in social spaces (Vega, L. 2017).

As main benefits we present three different types; cognitive, emotional and physical.

Cognitive benefits.

– Helps concentration.

– Improves planning.

– Contributes to problem solving.

Emotional benefits.

– Power creativity.

– Improves confidence.

– Promotes affectivity.

Physical benefits.

– Improves coordination.

– Stimulates your senses.

– Work fine motor skills.

There are many benefits of art, sometimes I feel that rich countries like Germany have forgotten the arts, they have all the necessary resources to carry them out, but they don't, I find it very curious that in the countries of the global south they get more out of this tool is played with recycling, with dance, theater, etc. Sincerely, the volunteer programs help to open minds and share knowledge mutually, learning from the workers and these from the volunteers.

References:

Arteterapia: qué es, para qué sirve y ejemplos prácticos (saludterapia.com)

Arteterapia: Definición, Origen, Fundamentos y Ámbitos de Actuación | ddf (divulgaciondinamica.es)

¿Qué es Arteterapia? – ATe Arteterapia

2017-07-08-abril-vega-lorena tcm30-419306.pdf (miteco.gob.es)

Cómo educar a través del arte para un mundo más sostenible (theconversation.com)

Los beneficios físicos, psícológicos y sociales de la risoterapia (isesinstituto.com)

5 beneficios de hacer manualidades - Canal Cero

Beneficios de las manualidades para niños y niñas | Ingredientes que Suman (oxfamintermon.org)

Manualidades para niños: 9 Beneficios de las Manualidades Infantiles (fixokids.com)