NIMHANS, in association with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, will organise a national-level therapeutic and rehabilitative art workshop for persons with disabilities.
Persons with mental illness, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, neurological disorders and other multiple disabilities can participate in the five-day workshop starting on July 11. The Departments of Psychiatric Social Work, Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services and Mental Health Education at NIMHANS are involved in this workshop.
“Apart from being therapeutic, any form of art can also act as a medium of employment. In this background, we approached the Centre’s Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities for funding and supporting an art workshop and art exhibition for persons with mental health and neurological disabilities and have got their support,” said Aarti Jagannathan, Additional Professor of Psychiatric Social Work.
“Through this workshop, persons with disability will not just be able to learn under the guidance of industry experts on how they can better their painting, but also have a chance to exhibit their paintings and see it getting sold — the proceeds of which will be accrued to back to them. Thus, this workshop can be both therapeutic and rehabilitative for them,” she said.
K.S. Meena, who heads the Department of Mental Health Education at NIMHANS, who is one of the co-organisers of this workshop, said that art plays an important role in the mental wellbeing of an individual. “All the more when it is related to persons with disabilities, it can help in rebuilding social connections and strengthen existing support in communities. It can also help to boost confidence and make one feel more engaged and resilient,” she said.
A statement from NIMHANS mentioned that the workshop is for showcasing the paintings of persons with disabilities and also to reduce the stigma against them by highlighting their skills. The art work made during the workshop will be displayed and sold during the art exhibition during the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 2022. The participants have to be physically present at the NIMHANS campus for the five-day workshop where art experts will guide and train them for the same.
Persons with mental health and neurological disabilities all over India who are interested and have basic experience in painting can participate. For more details and queries, candidates can email to prspswevents@gmail.com or call: +91 8137890503.
