Monmouth Arts’ Creative Expressions Arts & Wellness Program is a countywide initiative that uses the arts to address the rise in mental health issues in youth, seniors, and other adult populations in need. Teams of teaching artists and mental health professionals deliver free arts programs and services directly to organizations, senior centers, and schools. Our facilitators provide instruction and materials to engage students of all ages in artistic self-expression over a period of four to eight weeks. Over this period, teams build relationships with participants and identify those who could benefit from additional mental health services.

Creative Expressions was started in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to serve underserved youth and has since expanded to include seniors and other adults who are dealing with stress, grief, anxiety, loneliness, etc. Funding to support our work has been provided by Impact 100 Jersey Coast, Monmouth Park Charity Fund, New Jersey Natural Gas, Mary Owen Borden Foundation, the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners, and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

Interested in more information? Contact Devan Brash, Creative Expressions Arts & Wellness Manager, at artsandwellness@monmoutharts.org.