Arts For The Health Of It

A documentary starring one of our first patients and Musicians-in-Residence, Cassie, is being filmed in 2024 and we couldn't be more excited to talk about it with her and its producer and director, Josh Cavazos.

Learn about the health benefits of intentional laughter with the Laughter Ambassador herself, Cathy Nesbitt! Connect with Cathy and sign up for her FREE Tuesday Laughter Workshop at cathysclub.com

Golf tournaments, snowmen in Texas, shopping to support, and and patients giving Hearts Need Art a score of 100 out of 100! Donate Shop Top Golf Fundraiser

We're celebrating SEVEN YEARS of creating moments of joy, self-expression, and connection with people going through life-altering health challenges. Don't forget that #GivingTuesday is tomorrow, November 28th! heartsneedart.org/donate

Hear from Hearts Need Art's Program Coordinators, Surveyors, Director of Philanthropy, and CEO! New program locations! Hearts Need Art's anniversary! Giving Tuesday! Halloween costumes and parties! To become a donor, please visit heartsneedart.org/donate

Matthew Perlman uses the arts for health by creating a community while also preventing isolation. The pandemic forced many artists to paint alone in their small studio spaces and apartments. Artishouse was created to provide these individuals with a space to come together, preventing isolation, while also encouraging creative collaboration and community. He uses art and his studio space to bring o...

Listen in on a Hearts Need Art staff meeting. Hear stories from the hospital, organizational updates, learn about how you can partner with us, and more! The Big Give

📢 New Resource Alert! 🎨🩺 What if art museums, theaters, and nature trails could be integral parts of your health journey? Introducing the revolutionary guide: "Arts on Prescription: A Field Guide for US Communities." This guide is your roadmap to creating arts on prescription programs, where healthcare and social service providers can "prescribe" activities like art classes,...

In this episode, Vocab is on-location with Danielle Campbell Steans, Director of the San Antonio Ballet School. Danielle shares how she began dancing at age four and the career she has built through many years of performing and teaching. Underscoring all of her work is her commitment to making dance accessible through community outreach efforts and scholarships. Of note is her work with at-risk yo...

Joaquin's life experiences and professional practices are vast! Born in the barrio of San Felipe in Del Rio, Joaquin Muerte has strong roots in activism, community organizing, and music from several formative experiences during childhood. He started his professional music career 20 years ago in San Antonio as a street performer playing percussion and guitar and is a founding member of many local b...

Zach Jewell is the Founder/CEO of Into the Dark Blue, a nonprofit organization focused on men's mental wellness. Zach has always had a passion for bringing people together and creating a positive encouraging space. He'll share about the culmination of his experiences and passions that has led him to creating community and advocating for mental health through the arts. Zach will also guide us throu...

It's hard to believe some of the transformational stories Kim Hamilton, Program Coordinator, shares with us in this month's Hearts Need Art highlight episode. Whether subtle or drastic, Kim shares some of the ways our recent projects and initiatives directly impacted the people who participated in our programs. Large window murals, bedside art, portrait projects, line dancing, conference art proje...

**Content advisory: This episode may contain sensitive topics that can be difficult to discuss, including suicide. If you need help or support, please call 988, or visit www.988lifeline.org.** Jordan Lally is a singer-songwriter, meditation teacher and mental health advocate. Through a unique combination of storytelling, original music and guided meditation, Jordan promotes a proactive approach to...

Special guest, Jed Craddock , joins us for our Valentine's Day episode! Jed's musical sound can best be described as soul/roots/pop. Jed’s dynamic voice serves as a bridge that connects many musical genres. While the vibe may shift from tender acoustic singer-songwriter to heavy hitting trap/dance track, his music maintains a cohesive feel while giving space to an array of different musical voices...

Judy Seaman started Video Memoir Creations as a way to capture the essence of people's stories through dialogue, reflection, and film. She shares what inspired her to start creating memoirs, guides one of our hosts through the memoir discussion process, and provides tips for how you can start recording important history or personal stories (no special equipment needed). Judy will also explain the...

We're one month into the New Year, and it may be a good time to check in with what your plans are for the months ahead. As Hearts Need Art is planning and growing, we're taking a minute to welcome our two newest board members and hear about Hearts Need Art's expansion into more healthcare communities.  Vocab shares a growth-themed writing prompt paired with Catherine's tree drawing tutorial (...

Content Warning: This episode may contain references to domestic abuse and trauma.  Allison Body is a certified Health Coach and Therapeutic Art Life Coach as well as a visual artist and survivor of domestic abuse. In this episode, Allison shares how art has been key to working through trauma and how she combines health coaching and art to help clients manage stress, find self-expression, and...

Reinfred Addo is a speech-language pathologist, writer, and graphic/visual artist. He has written health-related poems and stories, conducted memory journals with his speech therapy patients, and selected other people's health-related poems for a literary journal that he edits. In this episode, hear about his journey to becoming a speech therapist and writer, how he incorporates writing with patie...

Come make some art with Andrea Nelson , former pre-school special education teacher turned full-time artist and content creator! Her short art videos on Instagram and TikTok are for people who may be intimidated by art or have no artistic experience at all. Her goal is to help people unlock their creativity through art that feels doable and fun. In this episode, you'll hear about... her "origin st...

We're kicking off 2023 by visiting with Rashard Dobbins, Executive Director of Class Act Detroit, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower youth via music and arts education through the elements of hip-hop. Topics include: the power of community, Class Act Detroit's origins, mission, and vision racial healing, equity, and generational change the concept of reaching to teach  the n...

Bring a pen and paper to this episode with Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson, new co-host of Arts for the Health of It! Andrea is a San Antonio native and the first Black Poet Laureate of San Antonio, 2020-2023. Her dynamic style is a fusion of poetry, hip hop, and R&B. She is an award-winning poet and a teaching artist who enjoys facilitating workshops nationwide. Andrea discusses how she started writ...

'𝕿𝖎𝖘 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖘𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖔𝖓!   Today, we present to you "𝔸 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕤 ℕ𝕖𝕖𝕕 𝔸𝕣𝕥 ℍ𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕕𝕒𝕪"   You'll hear classic holiday songs, be able to create art with your loved one, listen to stories, and have the chance to help bring arts-in-health services to more hospital beds next year.   PLUS   Watch a dream come true for one cancer patient, thanks to the San Antonio Symphony (no spoilers!) If you enjo...

Rita Ezenwa-Okoro is a Creative Culturist, Performance Activist, & Communications Expert who believes in creative arts as a force for human development. She uses the arts to navigate the journey of difficult emotions in times of challenging events. In this episode, you'll hear about her connection to the arts from a young age and her journey to creating the Street Project Foundation her book,...

Our guest this week believes anything is possible when we come together as a community. Jason Sotiris is the creator of Supertee , a medical garment designed for children that is functional in its ease of use during medical treatment and in its ability to help kids feel empowered while facing major health challenges. He’ll share how his daughter’s cancer diagnosis and treatment transformed his lif...

One of our big, birthday wishes is that arts in health becomes part of the standard of care. As you'll hear in this episode, Gracie told Constanza years ago, "We need to remember the reasons WHY we're alive as much as we need the things that keep us alive." Your support ensures more joy, self-expression, and connection with patients and caregivers. Text SIX to 53-555, or visit givebutter.com/hna-b...