A scoping review of community arts for newcomers in Canada
Date: TBD
Author(s): Esther-Joelle Asare, Andrea Charise, Mariangela Castro Arteaga, Christen Kong
Participatory, community-based creative practices, including community arts programs, may foster connection, expression, and cross-cultural understanding, offering a distinctive lens for newcomer wellness research and practice. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine Canadian studies of arts engagement initiatives in community that address newcomer mental wellness. Our research question asks: What does existing research convey about the impact of CA interventions on mental wellness for newcomers in Canada? By reviewing the literature and themes and synthesizing findings, this study aims to inform policy, practice, and future research that can contribute to a global, multi-sector approach to supporting newcomer wellness through CA.
Who is the Research About?
The research focuses on various newcomer populations in Canada. It is directed toward community arts practitioners, mental health practitioners, community workers, clinicians, and researchers interested in culturally informed approaches with newcomer populations.
Methodology
This scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR and informed by the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. The research approach included:
- A comprehensive search strategy to identify peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2024
- Title/abstract screening and full-text screening of prospective studies
- Data extraction using a customized form
- Critical appraisal using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT)
- Inductive thematic analysis
- Narrative synthesis
The search produced 778 records from six databases, and 31 studies met the inclusion criteria.
Key Findings
The following top-level themes were identified:
- Leaving, Lingering, and Letting Go for Newcomers
- Advocacy and Accessibility within Community Arts Spaces
- Empowerment through Arts in Community
- Coping, Culture, and Creativity as Mental Wellness
Framed through Cultural Humility and Cultural Brokering, the findings indicate that community arts engagement extends beyond clinical or conventionally health-services-aligned outcomes to create transformative cultural spaces that improve social and mental wellness for newcomers.
Why Does It Matter?
Recommendations for future research include longitudinal and intersectional approaches to assess long-term impacts of community arts engagement for newcomer populations, with the aim of developing and advancing knowledge and common practices in research at the nexus of arts-wellness-community engagement.
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