Healing Through Art: A Creative Wellness Program Supporting Recovery, Connection, and Well-Being

by Joan Clifford, Executive Director

 

This fall, the Milton Art Center will launch Healing Through Art: A Creative Wellness Program, a new arts-based initiative funded through the Town of Milton Board of Health’s Opioid Abatement Grant Program. The free program is designed to support individuals in recovery from substance use disorder, those supporting a loved one in recovery, and individuals coping with grief related to addiction.

The program reflects a growing movement known as social prescribing, an innovative approach to health and well-being that recognizes that healing happens not only through medical care, but also through meaningful social connection, creative engagement, and community participation.

Social prescribing has gained momentum worldwide as healthcare providers seek ways to address loneliness, anxiety, depression, trauma, and social isolation. Rather than relying solely on traditional medical interventions, social prescribing connects individuals with community-based activities such as arts programs, nature experiences, movement classes, volunteer opportunities, and cultural events that support overall well-being.

Massachusetts emerged as a national leader in this work. In 2020, the Massachusetts Cultural Council launched CultureRx, the nation’s first statewide social prescribing initiative, connecting healthcare providers and community organizations with arts and cultural experiences that support health and well-being. In 2024, Mass Cultural Council partnered with Art Pharmacy, a national organization that helps connect individuals with meaningful arts and cultural opportunities, to expand the initiative across the Commonwealth. The program recognizes what artists and educators have long understood: creative expression can help build resilience, reduce isolation, foster social connection, and support emotional healing.

Emerging research is helping to explain why arts-based social prescribing has attracted growing attention from healthcare providers and public health leaders. According to a June 2026 blog article published by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a recent peer-reviewed study in Frontiers in Public Health found that participants receiving arts prescriptions demonstrated statistically significant improvements in mental well-being, with benefits peaking after six to eight arts and cultural experiences. The study also found that adherence rates to arts prescriptions were approximately 76 percent, more than double the reported adherence rates of many traditional frontline treatments for depression and anxiety. The findings suggest that people are willing to engage in creative activities when they are prescribed as part of a broader wellness strategy.

One Massachusetts community that has helped demonstrate the promise of this approach is the Town of Franklin. Through its Department of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Franklin partnered with Art Pharmacy and local organizations to create community and arts-based wellness opportunities for residents. Franklin’s work highlighted the importance of creating welcoming, trauma-sensitive environments where participants feel safe, respected, and empowered to engage at their own pace. Their experience also showed that participants often benefited as much from the relationships, routine, and sense of belonging created through the arts as they did from the art-making itself.

Inspired by these examples, the Milton Art Center developed Healing Through Art as a community-based creative wellness program. The program is not art therapy and does not replace treatment or recovery services. Instead, it offers a supportive environment where participants can explore creativity, connect with others, reduce feelings of isolation, and experience the restorative benefits of artistic expression.

The Milton Art Center is grateful to the Town of Milton Board of Health for recognizing the role that social prescribing and creative wellness can play in supporting recovery and emotional well-being.

Classes will be led by experienced Milton Art Center teaching artists, Sue Hoy, Camille DeMarco, Christine Schoettle and Lacy Stoneburner who are participating in trauma-sensitive informed arts education training this summer. This approach emphasizes choice, emotional safety, respect, and creating an environment where participants can engage comfortably regardless of artistic experience.

Sue Hoy will lead two programs, “Rebuilding & Renewal,” incorporating clay and hands-on creative processes that encourage participants to explore themes of growth, transformation, and renewal. “Threads of Belonging,” will explore fiber arts, stitching, textiles, and tactile materials as a way to reflect on connection, resilience, and community. Through both clay and fiber, participants will discover how working with their hands can foster mindfulness, confidence, and a sense of accomplishment.

Camille DeMarco will guide participants through watercolor classes titled “Letting Flow,” which embrace experimentation, flexibility, and acceptance of the unexpected. Watercolor’s fluid nature offers a powerful metaphor for navigating life’s challenges while discovering beauty in the process.

Christine Schoettle will teach acrylic painting through “Finding Calm,” a class focused on mindfulness, observation, and creative exploration. Through color, composition, and personal expression, participants will be encouraged to slow down, focus on the present moment, and develop a calming artistic practice.

Lacey Stoneburner will teach “Stories of Connection,” classes centered on handmade books and card-making. Through storytelling, memory, and personal reflection, participants will create meaningful projects that celebrate relationships, milestones, and personal journeys.

Three ten-week sessions will be offered throughout the fall, winter, and spring, providing participants with a variety of creative experiences centered on healing, self-expression, resilience, and connection.

The Milton Art Center is committed to making the program accessible to all eligible participants. Working closely with the Milton Board of Health, the Milton Coalition, healthcare providers, recovery organizations, faith communities, social workers, and community partners, the Milton Art Center will actively recruit participants throughout the community. Outreach materials will be available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Chinese (Mandarin) to reduce language barriers and expand access. Outreach efforts will focus on lower-income residents and others who may face barriers to participation.

The first ten-week session will be held on Wednesdays from 9:30–11:30 a.m., September 23 through December 9, 2026 (no classes November 11 or November 25). Participation is free, all materials are provided, and no previous art experience is required.

Through creativity, connection, and belonging, Healing Through Art seeks to offer participants not only a place to make art, but also a place to heal, grow, and find hope.

For more information about eligibility,  contact info@miltonartcenter.org.