Arts For Life builds bridges and makes lasting connections between the art and healthcare communities of North Carolina. Our staff members are artists and teachers who believe the arts are key to creating and maintaining vibrant and healthy communities. Our programs teach visual arts, music, and creative writing to patients and run five to seven days a week, eight to fourteen hours a day in each of our four different hospital sites. Arts For Life staff, interns, and volunteers teach the arts to patients for over 250 hours each week.
Arts For Life has partnered with Brenner Children’s Hospital in Winston-Salem, Mission Hospital in Asheville, Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, and Duke Children’s Hospital and Health Center in Durham to create successful pediatric clinic art programs, patient and family art support groups, and inpatient art programs.
Our teachers work with more than 2,000 patients annually, and we see many of those children on a weekly basis. We teach the arts to children and teens who have serious and chronic illnesses, and we teach children who need ongoing therapies and treatments. Demand and need drive our growth.
Arts For Life has impacted pediatric and patient care across the state of North Carolina, demonstrating the importance of support services for patients and their families. Our programs strive to help young patients become strong members of their communities in spite of the struggles and hurdles they face.
Arts For Life’s internship and volunteer programs train college students, artists, medical students, and community members in teaching the arts to patients. Through these programs, we have led over 220 individuals in utilizing the arts to improve their communities.
Arts For Life Programming Goals
- Utilize art stations, art teachers, and art lessons to transform and improve healthcare environments;
- Teach patients skills in the visual arts, writing, and music;
- Give patients opportunities to collaborate and work successfully with peers (other patients and siblings);
- Foster patients’ visualization skills, imaginations, and creativity;
- Help patients to set and achieve goals and boost patients’ self-esteem;
- Give patients choices and sense of control in their hospital environments;
- Help patients to focus on positive activities during lengthy treatments, waiting times and stressful experiences.
Fiscal Control and Accountability
Arts For Life's Executive Director and Board of Directors are responsible for Arts For Life's fiscal controls and accountability. We carefully create, review, and revise budgets and fundraising strategies each year. Our strong belief in fiscal frugality is reflected in our modest salaries and reasonable yearly expenses. We strive to bring the most arts programming we can to the largest number of patients possible while also maintaining the integrity and quality of our lessons.
Arts For Life Board of Directors and Advisory Members
Mary Beth Blackwell-Chapman: Artist
John Dickson: Retired CEO, Asheville Savings Bank
Louise Glickman: Owner, Glickman & Associates
Dana Marske: Retired Director, YMCA Clubs
Doug Michaels: Community Member
Alice Myer: MSW-Mission Hospital
Anne Sessions: Owner: A New Leaf
Mary Timmer: Jeweler
Eva James Toia: Director, Career Resources NCSA
Jeff Ungetheim: Director, Children’s Cancer Support Program
Rosalind Willis: Community Member
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