Art therapy and wellness at the

MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

The MMFA’s Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion for Peace. Photo © Marc Cramer

Cover: Maxwell Bitton, under the supervision of John Mingolla and Lucie Chicoine, Self-portraits, 2016, acrylic and photography on foam board.

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AN INNOVATIVE LEADER IN PROMOTING WELLNESS THROUGH ART The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) is nationally and internationally recognized as a pioneer and major player in the field of education and in promoting wellness through the arts. Of its one million annual visitors, more than 300,000 take part in educational, cultural, community-based and art therapy programs – a record among Canadian museums.

Under the guidance of Nathalie Bondil, Director General and Chief Curator, the MMFA has made its mark as a humanist and socially committed institution that initiates actions to promote education, inclusion, accessibility and wellness. It works with over 450 organizations associated with schools, community groups and healthcare institutions to address issues such as school drop-out rates, stigmatization, violence, discrimination, poverty, illiteracy, radicalization, racism, homophobia, homelessness, obsession with body image, isolation, disabilities and suicide.

The MMFA seeks to become a vehicle for social cohesion and individual well-being. To do so, it takes a holistic approach based on co-creation, developing innovative partnerships, particularly in the areas of research and health.

I am convinced that, in the twenty-first century, culture will be recognized as being as important for health as sport was in the twentieth century. I believe our innovative and multidisciplinary initiatives, supported by our numerous partnerships, anticipate future societal needs.

– NATHALIE BONDIL, Director General and Chief Curator, MMFA

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THE MICHEL DE LA CHENELIÈRE INTERNATIONAL ATELIER FOR EDUCATION AND ART THERAPYAT THE MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS One of the largest educational facilities

in an art museum worldwide

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The Michel de la Chenelière International Atelier for Education and Art Therapy. Photo © Marc Cramer

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THE MICHEL DE LA CHENELIÈRE INTERNATIONAL ATELIER FOR EDUCATION AND ART THERAPY IS:

300,000participants annually

in educational, cultural and wellness activities

+ 3,500 m2

at the Museum dedicated to education and wellness

12 studios

2 areas for educational exhibitions (EducExpos)

1 Art Hive,the only one in a museum worldwide

1 concert hall & 1 auditorium

30,000participants in free activities at the Museum through the

Sharing the Museum accessibility and inclusion program

17 expertson the Art and Health Advisory Committee

13 expertson the Art and Education Committee

10 expertson a roundtable on autism spectrum disorders

160 active volunteer guides

450community, educational, university and scientific organizations that partner with the MMFA every year

18 innovative research projects conducted in partnership with universities and hospitals, including 10 to measure the health and wellness impacts of art

1 full-time art therapist,the only one at a museum worldwide

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In November 2016, the Museum opened the Michel de la Chenelière International Atelier for Education and Art Therapy, the largest educational facility in any North American art museum. Occupying two levels in the Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion for Peace, a total of more than 3,500 m2, this hub designed for children, families, adults, students and people with special needs enables the Museum to expand projects launched several years ago to benefit immigrant, refugee, disadvantaged, disabled, seniors and at-risk clienteles. It has also allowed the Museum to expand its initiatives in the spheres of wellness, health care and clinical research, with its 12 studios and numerous interactive spaces.

SPACES DEVOTED TO ART THERAPYMany professionals from the medical world and the community have joined forces in an unusual practice setting. The Museum’s new facilities include an art therapy workshop, a consultation room and an Art Hive – the first one in a museum.

NEW THERAPEUTIC APPROACHESThe MMFA is also one of the first museums to design new curative treatments combining the experience of art with a therapeutic approach. As part of this initiative, it has hired an art therapist, Stephen Legari, who works full-time at the Museum developing and supervising art therapy projects. A first in an art museum.

EDUCATING FUTURE ART THERAPISTS AND PHYSICIANS The MMFA is also involved in granting degrees to students in art therapy programs in Quebec (Concordia University and Université du Québec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue), by providing internships and hosting courses taught by art therapy instructors. In collaboration with McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine, it also offers workshops for medical students, where they observe works of art to develop interpretive skills for their future practice.

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The MMFA’s Art Hive. Photo Jean-François Brière

THE MUSEUM’S ART HIVECreated in collaboration with the Department of Creative Arts Therapy at Concordia University, the Art Hive is a place for free or semi-guided creative activity, with art supplies and recycled materials provided free of charge to the participants. Supervised by an art therapist and an educator, the program attracts people of a wide range ages, socioeconomic backgrounds and cultures, in a safe and user-friendly setting that fosters a spirit of community.

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A NEW FIELD FOR RESEARCHThe Museum relies on research studies to validate the very real benefits of art and to continue to improve its programs. These studies corroborate the value of the numerous pilot projects developed by the MMFA in partnership with art therapists, health professionals and academic researchers. The Museum has become a genuine research laboratory for scientifically measuring the impact of art on well-being. And the studies to date prove it: art does you good!

ONGOING HEALTH AND WELLNESS RESEARCH PROJECTS:

1 Study on the impact of visits and workshops at the Museum on people with eating disorders Concordia University and Douglas Mental Health University Institute

2 Study on the impact of visits and workshops at the Museum on young people aged 14 to 25 with psychiatric problemsEspace Transition, CHU Sainte-Justine

3 Study on the impact of visits at the Museum on patients with cardiac arrhythmiaMontreal Heart Institute

4 Quantitative study on the impact of visits at the Museum on people with Alzheimer’sMcGill University, Alzheimer Group and Alzheimer Society of Montreal

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5 Study on the (neuro)physiological impact of viewing works of art and artistic creativity in people on the autism spectrum Laboratoire de neurosciences cognitives, Centre national de la recherche scientifique and Université de Montréal

6 Study on the effects of a cultural mediation activity at the Museum on the health and quality of life of people aged 65 and olderRUIS McGill Centre of Excellence on Longevity and Jewish General Hospital

7 Study on the effects of art therapy in breast cancer patients and survivorsQuebec Breast Cancer Foundation and Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue

8 Study on the history and evolution of health and wellness programs at the MuseumUniversité du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

9 Study on the impact of museum visits and workshops on epilepsy patientsConcordia University and McGill University

10 Study on the impact of art therapy on voluntary immigrantsUniversité du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue

The Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion for Peace, Family lounge, MMFA. Photo © Marc Cramer

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HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROJECTS AT THE MMFA

The Museum has initiated numerous

pilot projects in health and wellness

that have been developed in-house in

collaboration with physicians, university

researchers and professionals from local

health and community organizations.

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VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE• Centre for Services in Restorative Justice

For this project, people (or their family members) affected by acts of violence meet at the Museum for monthly workshops that focus on providing a restorative process combining sharing and dialogue. The participants are referred by the Centre for Services in Restorative Justice (CSJR), which is based on the concept of reparation, the traditional model of justice among First Nations peoples. The workshops, which tackle subjects such as resilience and reconciliation, provide an opportunity for participants to create bonds with other victims of violence and learn how to cope with difficult emotions. The Museum also hopes to involve those who might be aggressors in this project.

BREAST CANCER PATIENTS AND SURVIVORS • Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation • Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT)

In collaboration with the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation, the Museum is offering support to women undergoing breast cancer treatments or in remission as part of an art therapy project aimed at alleviating their isolation and encouraging them to express difficult emotions through art. Women are invited to enjoy guided tours of the collections and group workshops on themes such as the body, the present moment and creativity. They also have an opportunity to relax and share their experiences. In 2018, this project will be the subject of a study by Jacinthe Lambert, psychologist and professor jointly responsible for the art therapy programs at the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT). The study aims to assess the benefits of an art therapy program in a museum environment for women with breast cancer.

This experience was above all a process of letting go, which gave me access to new and unexpected things. I was able to express in words

things I could not before. It gave me access to my own inner world and to some lovely discoveries. This project made me see the benefits of art therapy. And I came away from it with a strong sense of inner calm.

– LOUISE, participant in the project

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PEOPLE WITH EATING DISORDERS• Douglas Mental Health University Institute • Concordia University

In 2014, the MMFA launched an art therapy program for people living with eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia with Dr. Howard Steiger, clinical researcher, Chief, Eating Disorders Program, Douglas Mental Health University Institute and Professor at the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, in collaboration with Dr. Josée Leclerc, Associate Professor at Department of Creative Arts Therapy at Concordia University and Director of the Art Therapy master’s program at Concordia University.

With an art therapist and a psycho-educator as facilitators, the project, which takes place at the Museum, consists of tours of the collections on subjects that spark creativity and encourage the expression of emotions; meals, with menus designed by a nutritionist; and hands-on workshops in groups. This enables the Institute’s patients to break out of their isolation and develop a positive body image.

This pilot project was also the subject of a scientific study published in 2017 in The Arts in Psychotherapy. Its conclusions attest to a reduction in the participants’ anxiety.

Participant in an art therapy project for people with eating disorders. Photo MMFA, Anna Lupien

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We realized that there is very little literature on art therapy in a clinical setting, and even less on art therapy in a museum. This is precisely what we found interesting about the project: unlike a hospital or a clinical setting, the museum is a normalizing space, which helps people get out into public.

– DR. HOWARD STEIGER

PEOPLE WITH LANGUAGE OR SENSORY IMPAIRMENTS• CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal –

Institut Raymond-Dewar• Concordia University

This art therapy program offers creative workshops to break the isolation of teenagers and young adults with language or sensory impairments such as dysphasia, deafness or auditory processing disorders (APDs). It was developed in collaboration with the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal – Institut Raymond-Dewar (IRD) and Josée Leclerc from Concordia University.

During visits to the MMFA, followed by group discussions led by an art therapist and IRD staff, young people with serious communication impairments can overcome their disability and communication anxiety by expressing themselves freely and easily through art. A judicious blend of social and cultural activities facilitates the development of their communication skills, increases their self-esteem and encourages socialization.

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Emmanuel Alescio, participant in a work experience program at the MMFA. Photo Jean-François Brière

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM OR AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY• Laboratoire de neurosciences cognitives at the

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)• Université de Montréal • Les Petits Rois Foundation • Miriam Home and Services • Gold Centre • Autisme sans limites • Irénée-Lussier school

In early summer 2015, the MMFA launched The Art of Being Unique, a program designed to make art more accessible to people with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or an intellectual disability.

Divided into four streams, this diversified program gives people an opportunity to participate in an employment program, develop their artistic skills or explore art in a safe and structured environment. It is combined with research activities aimed at making advances in the areas of intake and accessibility diverse. The Museum works with more than eight associations and partners to offer several activities every week.

Employability at the Museum

In collaboration with Les Petits Rois Foundation and Miriam Home and Services, the Museum has welcomed two new employees to help its teams with their daily tasks. One of these new employees talks about his job in the following video: http://bit.ly/1leFevi (in French).

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Maxwell Bitton and Kate Walker, Museum Mediator. MMFA, Anna Lupien

Maxwell Bitton, under the supervision of John Mingolla and Lucie Chicoine, Self-portraits, 2016, acrylic and photography on foam board.

Development of artistic talent

In 2015, a seven-week art training course was given to a young autistic adult, Maxwell Bitton. Teachers, artists and mediators coached him along the way to support his development in new practices and inspirations, culminating in an EducExpo.

In 2017, two partnership projects were launched. Every week, in collaboration with the Gold Centre, the Museum offers art workshops and social activities. Furthermore, in collaboration with Autisme Sans Limites, the Museum welcomes young people with autism as part of an art therapy project focused on the recognition and expression of emotions. People on the autism spectrum often have difficulty recognizing the emotions of others and externalizing their own emotions. Participants enjoy weekly group visits to the Museum, where works of art provide a springboard for recognizing and expressing emotions. The project also integrates creative workshops that explore different themes related to various emotions.

Discovery of art for children

In collaboration with Irénée-Lussier school and other special schools, young people with an ASD can now visit the Museum free of charge to take part in tours and workshops, and complete long-term projects. This program is designed to introduce these children to art in a safe and reassuring environment so that they feel comfortable at the Museum.

Scientific research to help those living with ASD

The Museum is working with the Laboratoire de neurosciences cognitives at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and the Université de Montréal (UdeM) on a research project headed by neurobiologist Dr. Bruno Wicker. Studies have shown that creation and exposure to works of art may be a good way to regulate moods. The purpose of this project is to explore the (neuro) physiological impact of the perception of artworks and artistic creativity on people with ASD (about whom it is often said that they have a different capacity for visual comprehension and artistic spatial expression) in creative workshops held at the MMFA and in tours of its collections.

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Participant in Thursdays at the Museum at the MMFA. Photo © Mikaël Theimer (MKL)

PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE• Alzheimer Society of Montreal

Developed in collaboration with the Alzheimer Society of Montreal, Art Links is an art therapy program for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. In 2017, more than 800 people participated in the program. In themed guided tours facilitated by a Museum educator, participants explore subjects such as nature, family and landscapes in three or four works of art in the collection. The images stimulate conversations and sometimes even evoke memories. The program has been shown to have many benefits: participants are happier, more alert and more self-confident.

SENIORS • RUIS McGill Centre of Excellence on Longevity • Jewish General Hospital

Thursdays at the Museum is one of the Museum’s free cultural and educational programs designed especially for people aged 65 and over. Every year, 7,000 seniors take advantage of the program’s creative and musical workshops, yoga and guided tours of the collections.

In December 2017, the MMFA, the RUIS McGill Centre of Excellence on Longevity and the Jewish General Hospital launched a research program unique in Canada, aimed at evaluating the effects of a cultural mediation activity on the health and quality of life of people aged 65 and older. Dr. Olivier Beauchet, Director of the RUIS McGill Centre of Excellence on Longevity, and holder of the Joseph Kaufmann Chair in Geriatric Medicine, Jewish General Hospital, will study the impact of Thursdays at the Museum on participants. His goal is to determine the potential benefits of this program on seniors.

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THE MUSEUM AS PRESCRIPTIONDr. Asmae Boutaleb has been working with the Museum for over a year to develop a patient intake protocol and evaluation questionnaire, with the goal of finding the right art therapy programs and workshops for each patient’s individual health requirements. Our mission is to ensure that Dr. Boutaleb is regularly able to refer her patients with similar pathologies to us for group art therapy sessions at the Museum. Art therapy for the benefit of all!

YOUNG PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS• Espace Transition at CHU Sainte-Justine

The Espace Transition at the Museum program, which has existed since 2014, is the result of a collaboration between Espace Transition at CHU Sainte-Justine and the MMFA. Headed by child psychiatrist Dr. Patricia Garel, the program fosters the well-being, psychological and social reintegration, and destigmatization of young people struggling with mental health problems. About two-thirds of the 14- to 25-year-olds targeted by the program have a psychiatric problem for which they have received intensive clinical services and whose acute symptoms have stabilized. The rest of the group consists of youths with no psychiatric problems.

This approach enables patients to mingle with others without being identified, since their psychiatric condition is not disclosed to the other group members or to the activity leaders. Combined with gallery tours, hands-on workshops and an exhibition of the works created by the participants, the program runs for 12 weeks, with weekly two-hour sessions. The research project, led by psychoeducator Kim Archambault, was honoured at the conference of the Association des médecins psychiatres du Québec in June 2017.

A participant in the Espace Transition at the Museum program. Photo Michel Dubreuil

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The participants discover

a dimension they were unaware

of. They experience a sense

of pride and achievement when

they come to the Museum.

They feel like they have found

their place, which is a genuine

challenge for them. Results

regarding their state of mind

show that the benefits of

these workshops persist

even once they are over.

– Dr PATRICIA GAREL

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To consolidate the Museum’s position in art therapy and

health, Nathalie Bondil created the Art and Health Advisory

Committee. Consisting of 17 experts in health and wellness,

art therapy, research and the arts, it is chaired by Dr. Rémi

Quirion, Quebec’s Chief Scientist and new member of the

Museum’s Board of Trustees.

These eminent representatives of internationally renowned

Quebec institutions, as well as from the CNRS (France) and

the Cornelius Foundation (England), meet several times a year

to observe Museum research projects that are underway or

are about to be launched. They provide support in terms of

their vision and potential partnerships.

ART AND HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEEAn innovative committee

of Quebec and international experts

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MMFA’S ART AND HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEECHAIRMANRémi Quirion Quebec’s Chief Scientist, Fonds de recherche du Québec

VICE-CHAIRMANStephanie RossyDirector, The Rossy Family Foundation

Thomas BastienDirector of Education and Wellness, The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

Nathalie BondilDirector General and Chief Curator, The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

Stephen LegariEducational Programs Officer – Art Therapy, The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

Olivier BeauchetDirector, RUIS McGill Centre of Excellence on Longevity, holder of the Joseph Kaufmann Chair in Geriatric Medicine, Jewish General Hospital

Michel de la ChenelièrePresident, Fondation de la Chenelière

Marie GailleDeputy Scientific Director, Institute of Human and Social Sciences, Université Paris-Diderot – CNRS

Josée LeclercAssociate Professor, Department of Creative Arts Therapies, Concordia University

Marianne MagninChair of the Board of Trustees, The Cornelius Arts Foundation, London

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie PayetteEngineer, previously Chief Astronaut, Canadian Space Agency

Isabelle PeretzCo-director, BRAMS (International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research), Université de Montréal

Denise PérusseDirector, Défis de société et aux maillages intersectoriels, Fonds de recherche du Québec

Louise PoissantScientific Director, Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et Culture

Philippe WalkerChief Scientific Officer, Neomed

Claire WebsterFounder and President, Caregiver Crosswalk

Robert J. ZatorreCo-director, BRAMS (International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research), McGill University; Professor, Montreal Neurological Institute

From left to right. Front row: Michel de la Chenelière, Louise Poissant, Stephanie Rossy, Nathalie Bondil, Rémi Quirion, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Isabelle Peretz, and Robert Zatorre. Back row: Claire Webster, Thomas Bastien, Philippe Walker, Denis Pérusse and Olivier Beauchet. Photo MMFA, Christine Guest

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe Michel de la Chenelière International Atelier for Education and Art Therapy was made possible with the generous and vital support of the Fondation de la Chenelière.

The Museum’s Art Therapy and Wellness program, including the Art Hive, receives major support from the Rossy Family Foundation.

The Sharing the Museum program receives major support from Bell and the Fondation J.-A. DeSève, in collaboration with the Trottier Family Foundation. The Museum also acknowledges the support of Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life in this initiative.

The Museum’s cultural activities are supported by Domtar, which presents the cultural programs for adults, and Réseau Sélection, which presents Thursdays at the Museum for seniors. The Museum also acknowledges the commitment by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec to school activities, with support from CN, CIBC, Cominar and Ubisoft, under its Codex program dedicated to educational activities and student retention, providing support for these educational initiatives, along with partners Keolis and DeSerres.

Source: MMFA, March 2018