The second pandemic has been the mental health crisis which has drawn quite a bit of well-deserved attention. Public officials and health care professionals are alarmed by the staggering suicide rates and rising statistics regarding both children and adults being diagnosed with mental illnesses. In the mental health arena, beauty and optimism are not usually the first things that come to mind, especially right now. At The Society of the Four Arts, however, hope was palpable during a recent symposium on the healing power of the arts. This gathering of thought leaders should be a model for cultural institutions to emulate.
A diverse group of speakers included neuroscientists, philanthropists, artists, expressive art therapists, and a global leader from the World Health Organization. I have been following the work of Dr. Eric Nestler for over a decade and am always hopeful after listening to him discuss the breakthroughs in brain research. What was unique about this event was the meaningful collaboration between this cohort of leaders from the various disciplines integrating healthcare and the arts.
In many circles, the topic of mental health still remains taboo. The Honorable Patrick Kennedy has shared publicly about his experiences with mental illness and has talked about the fact that most families, including his, are frozen by shame. This is not the case with Audrey Gruss, one of the speakers, who has been leading the way in sharing her personal story about her mother’s depression for many years through her Hope for Depression Research Foundation . We’re accustomed to fundraising for causes like cancer, heart disease, and survivors of tragedies, but Audrey has put the urgency of mental illness to the test by prioritizing brain research for these disorders that impact 1 in 5 (43.8 million) Americans each year; she is a true hero.
The cause of mental health requires every single one of us from every industry and walk of life to get involved. That is precisely the reason that this gathering was impactful. The Future Is Unwritten by Culturunners , founded by Stephen Stapleton and chaired by John Blaffer Royall, has convened scholars, artists, and public officials and identified critical areas of collaboration to improve our wellbeing. Their engaging talks highlight the scale and scope of our global mental health crisis, the advances in research, and examples of cultural practices that illustrate the role of the arts in addressing our most pressing public health concerns. This event was supported by the Open Mind Project and was part of a series of Healing Arts global city-wide activations, under the auspices of the World Health Organization and in partnership with Arts + Health @ NYU, promoting the arts as a vital partner in health, care and wellbeing.
Today I took a moment to stop and acknowledge these revolutionaries who brought hope and beauty to those who attended this symposium. These activists for wellness have much to teach us. Where can you press pause to take a snapshot of beauty and hope for this crucial issue that affects us all? What small step can you take to follow this group of advocates’ lead to address our nation’s mental health crisis? To learn more, you can watch the video of Audrey Gruss, Dr. Nestler and Dr. Jill Sonke’s lectures.
