Community arts for newcomer mental wellness in Canada

Community arts for newcomer mental wellness in Canada

How can community arts support the mental wellness of newcomers in Canada?

Join us as we highlight key findings from a national scoping review and environmental scan conducted by FLOURISH (University of Toronto Scarborough), in collaboration with Access Alliance (2024–2025). We explore how participatory, community-based creative practices foster connection, self-expression, and cross-cultural understanding, offering meaningful pathways to social wellness. Drawing on a scoping review of Canadian research, this session will share insights into the impact of community arts initiatives on newcomer mental health. Discover how arts-based approaches are shaping research, policy, and practice, and what this means for building healthier connected communities.

The objectives of this webinar are to identify key features of community arts interventions that support newcomer mental health and social wellness, understand current research findings on the impact of arts-based initiatives for newcomers in Canada, and apply these insights to inform policy, practice, and future research on community arts and newcomer well-being.

Call to Actions

Recognize arts engagement as a legitimate component of newcomer wellness infrastructure.
Invest in long-term, community-led partnerships between researchers, artists, settlement organizations, and newcomer communities themselves.
Expand how we define evidence in newcomer wellness research

Designed for artists, public health professionals, researchers, students, care workers, community practitioners, policymakers, and more, this session invites you to explore creativity as a health resource.

Speakers:

Andrea Charise: Associate Professor at the Department of Health & Society, University of Toronto Scarborough, whose work focuses on the connections between arts, health, and community wellness.
Christen Kong: Health Promoter, Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services, focusing on improving newcomer mental wellness using arts.

Esther-Joelle Asare: MA Student, School of Public Health & Social Policy, University of Victoria, committed to advancing health equity through community-based approaches and research-informed practice
Mariangela Castro-Arteaga: PhD Student, Human Geography, University of Toronto.

"Are these findings going to be share with Toronto government? I truly believe this information is fundamental for them to connect how Arts are more than just entertainment."

- Webinar attendee

"I’m from the UK, and I’m currently researching how community arts can help newcomers more easily access resources and achieve greater equality. I’m very glad to see that there is so much research in this field in Canada."

- Webinar attendee

"I'm an undergrad student at UTSC, and my question is: how are the "arts" defined in this context? Is it more writing based, such as poetry and storytelling, or is it focused on acting, like theatre? Some people consider cooking as an art, is that also included? Or is it mixed to improve overall newcomer well-being?"

- Webinar attendee

"Thank you for conducting this research and sharing these findings. Way to go! So many interesting insights. And affirmations for work I have done, want to do and see more of."

- Community artist attendee

"Hi everyone, thank you again! I want to introduce our organization, Art + Health. We run arts-based mental health programs for East African communities in Toronto. We invite opportunities to work together. info@arthealth.ca"

- Webinar attendee

"It’s so good to know the expressive arts is being utilized and researched in this way. Thank you."

- Webinar attendee

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