Our Impact
Reasons for and Benefits of Art
Partners & Sponsors
CORE Foundation
Sponsor
YCP is fiscally sponsored by the CORE Foundation, based in Reston, VA.
FUNDSY
Sponsor
YCP uses Fundsy as our primary crowdfunding platform.
CHILDREN'S
INN
AT
NIH
Partner
YCP donated 40 art kits to The Children's Inn at NIH in December 2020. Along with our donation, we held our first oil pastel art night with residents of the Inn.
CHILDREN'S
NATIONAL
HOSPITAL
Partner
In Early 2021, we partnered with the Children's National Hospital and donated 30 art card kits!
CHILDREN'S
HOSPITAL
OF
RICHMOND
AT
VCU
Partner
On June 5th of 2021, YCP partnered with the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR) to hold an origami art event. Participants of the event learned to make paper cranes.
NAMI NORTHERN VA
Partner
In November 2021, YCP partnered with the National Alliance of Mental Health Northern Virginia (NAMI NOVA) and National Alliance of Mental Health Virginia (NAMI VA).
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JACK
AND
JILL
OF
AMERICA
RESTON
Partner
YCP partnered with the Reston Chapter of Jack and Jill of America to host an art kit making session on November 20th 2021.
RESTON TEEN CENTER
Partner
In April 2022, YCP partnered Reston Teen Center to host an LED Easter egg workshop.
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HSC MEDICAL CENTER
Partner
In April 2022, YCP donated 30 Easter egg craft kits to the HSC Medical Center in D.C. These art kits paired with HSC's egg hunt on the same day.
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HORIZON
DAY
CAMP
HORIZON
WALKS
Partner
In June 2022, YCP joined Horizon Day Camp's HorizonWALKS event as a vendor. We supplied materials for a Sesame Street art craft activity.
HORIZON DAY CAMP
Partner
In July 2022, YCP donated 35 rock art paint kits to Horizon Day Camp for the campers to create Superhero themed rocks. Kits include paint, brushes, palettes, and rocks.
DREAMS
FOR
KIDS
RED
PANDA
ART
STUDIO
Partner
In August 2022, YCP and Dreams for Kids hosted a plant pot painting art clinic at Red Panda Art Studio.
ART KIT DONATION
Partner
In December 2022, YCP packaged art kits for a holiday craft session. Kits included watercolor sets, scratch art, and a holiday art craft.
ART HELPS HEARTS
Partner
In December 2022, YCP partnered with Art Helps Hearts in New Jersey to donate Christmas art kits to a NJ hospital. YCP donated supplies to make snow globes to pair with cards from Art Helps Hearts.
SO KIDS SOAR
Partner
In January, YCP held a winter themed craft session with So Kids Soar and hosted an art clinic to create sock snowmen at Reston Library.
Art as Healing
Art
has
been
known
to
have
benefits
on
mental
health
and
the
brain,
but
how
exactly
does
it
help?
Down
below,
we
explore
the
different
ways
art
benefits
the
human
mind.
​
As a basic overview: art as a healing agent dates back to the middle ages, but more scientific proof of the connection has created professional art-for-healing practices. Engaging in art activities can help relieve mental health issues and assist in the physical healing of the body.
​
In 2010, the American Journal of Public Health released a review of research conducted on the relationship between art and healing from 1995-2007. In this review, the findings of the research for the link between visual art and healing can be summarized into two major factors: art helps with mental health, and inadvertently helps with physical health. Among the seven studies conducted and reviewed, the research has proven that engaging in art activities created “reductions in stress” and “increases in positive emotions”. Visual arts also allowed for “improved focus on positive life experiences, self-worth, and social identity”. In addition to art benefits on mental health, the review summarized that visual art led to “improved medical outcomes” and “trends toward reduced depression”. [1]
​
Another review, published by americansforthearts.org, reveals that engaging in art activities allow for “improved patient coping with pain; improved nurse-patient communication; and improved attitude toward hospitalization”. These benefits all help with increasing the quality of healthcare and well-being of the patient. [2]
​
These positive connections between art and healing have been traced back to many centuries earlier. In ancient Greece, paintings, frescoes, and architectural pieces were displayed in public spaces as well as healthcare environments to facilitate healing. Specifically, a fresco displayed at Spedale di Santa Maria della Scala in Siena, Italy is meant to create an atmosphere of healing for patients. [3] Artists in history such as Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh have also embraced the idea that art stimulates healing spiritually and physically. [4]
​
Since then, the use of art for healing has evolved much and new practices such as art therapy and chromotherapy have emerged as professional links between art and healing, however, the end goal has always persisted: helping the mind and body heal through various forms of art.
​
References:
[1]
Stuckey,
H.
"The
connection
between
art,
healing,
and
public
health:
a
review
of
current
literature."
American
journal
of
public
health,
100(2),
254–263.
(retrieved
January
28,
2021).
[2]
State
of
the
Field
Committee.
(2009).
State
of
the
field
report:
Arts
in
healthcare
2009.
Washington,
DC:
Society
for
the
Arts
in
Healthcare.
[3]
Savitz,
Masha.
“The
Healing
Power
of
Art
From
Ancient
Times
to
Now.”
Canvas
by
New
Masters
Academy,
May
17,
2020.
https://canvas.nma.art/2020/05/08/the-healing-power-of-art-from-ancient-times-to-now/.
[4]
Prodger,
Michael.
“Hospital
Paintings
and
the
Art
of
Healing.”
NewStatesman,
April
1,
2020.
https://www.newstatesman.com/hospital-paintings-art-history.
Art Benefit Facts References:
[1]
Greene,
et.
al.,
“Arts
Education
Matters:
We
Know,
We
Measured
It,”
Education
Week,
on
the
internet
at
www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/12/03/13greene.h34.html.
[2]
“Does
Art
Boost
a
Student's
Critical
Thinking?”
Walden
University.
Walden
University,
October
23,
2020.
https://www.waldenu.edu/online-masters-programs/ms-in-education/resource/does-art-boost-a-students-critical-thinking.