Client Art Project—An Initiative of the Health and Wellness Committee

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

“An intelligently-curated art collection can reflect a company’s history and demonstrate its character, style, and spirit to employees, clients, partners, and prospects.” -Jamie Livingstone The Client Art Project is the product of a strategic agency initiative focusing on health and wellness. The Health and Wellness Strategic Initiative began in late 2014. A committee was formed with cross-agency representation including peer specialists. The goal of the initiative was to create a culture within our agency that supported wellness and recovery for our clients and staff. Particular emphasis was placed on creating an environment that was warm and inviting for our clients, especially those with a history of trauma. Research has shown that between 34% and 53% of people with a severe mental illness report childhood physical/sexual abuse, and numbers for individuals with substance use disorders are similar. Trauma Informed Care emphasizes physical, psychological, and emotional safety for clients and staff. The committee identified creating a trauma-informed physical environment as a priority. Displaying client art was a way to reshape our physical environment to be more welcoming, and it provided an opportunity for clients to be an integral part of creating our agency's physical environment. The art was not only decorative but provided an opportunity for clients to tell their stories through visual images. Displaying our clients' art work conveys our respect and our recognition for their contributions. Their creations are important and valued. We planned on incorporating 40 pieces in our three largest sites, and 20 pieces in a smaller office. Many felt that this was an ambitious goal; however, we now have 140 pieces of client and staff art displayed in four locations, and we are expanding the program due to the positive response.