AHA! News May 2016
AHA! News
Aloha friends of AHA! and welcome to spring!

We are delighted to be sharing lots of exciting arts health news with you.
Thundertales III
 
AHA! is thrilled to be launching Thundertales III –the third iteration of this youth storytelling project, with three arms, running from May to December of this year.  Kim Wempe is facilitating songwriting circles with girls at St Andrew Junior School; Mary Beth Carty is facilitating heritage-focused songwriting, based on the stories of community elders, in Pomquet; and Brendan Ahern is hosting oral storytelling at the library centered on imaginary worlds, weaving these into podcasts. We can’t wait to see and hear what is created through these inspiring projects!
Jeremy Holmes
AHA! has continued our support for Jeremy Holmes, a gifted songwriter and musician who spends a day each week at each local Elementary School, offering music-based support to programming and music-based interventions. Jeremy has recently presented his work to the Schools Plus Provincial Conference and was subsequently asked to speak at school board meetings around the province. AHA! piloted this position last spring in one school and are delighted that Jeremy’s position has expanded this spring, thanks to the support of Schools Plus, Public Health and the Strait Area School Board.
Youth Art Connection
AHA! has forged a new friendship with Halifax’s Youth Art Connection ( youthartconnection.ca ) and hosted founder, Ryan Veltmeyer, in sharing his work with us on April 18th.  He has asked AHA! to partner with YAC in the 4th Wall Project ( youthartconnection.ca/4thwall ) and we are exploring bringing to Antigonish their ArtPreneur project ( youthartconnection.ca/?childrenprograms=artrepreneur ). Stay tuned on this one!
Seeking Youth Project Coordinator
  As you can see, our work with youth is growing! Because of this, we are seeking a part time coordinator for our youth programs. This is currently funded for 6 months at 8 hours/week, although we are hoping it might expand into more hours and a longer term through more sustained funding.

Youth Project Coordinator
Arts Canopy
  AHA! is, in the next month, beginning a year long project offering arts-based programming to those in our community living with dementia, which we have called Arts Canopy. We are currently framing and hiring for this project - see our website for more details.

Arts Canopy Project Coordinator
Expressive Arts Therapy
  AHA! has continued to bring the arts to patient care in the hospital. Through our Expressive Arts Therapy program, arts were introduced to the Palliative Care Unit and the Pain Clinic. We are planning to build on the foundation of this and previous programming, bringing the arts to the Transitional Level of Care Unit, the Mental Health Unit and Palliative Care in the coming weeks.  
Exploring the arts health connection
  On March 23, AHA! hosted an exploration of the arts health connection through words and music with John Graham Pole, Jeremy Holmes and Tareq Hudhud. The diversity and depth of their storytelling was truly inspiring! Watch our website for more workshops and playshops in the fall.
Colouring Antigonish Volume 2
Lastly, our second volume of Colouring Antigonish is due off the press in the next couple of weeks! We have created a delightful volume, with some of the first book’s artists and many new artists, offering contributions. We know you’ll love it! Like the first one, it will be available at various local businesses - and perhaps occasionally at the market.


AHA! Celebrates 2015
See an overview of AHA! 2015 activities

AHA! Celebrates 2015
As always, we welcome your participation, whether in specific projects, in funding support or at our table. We next meet May 16th, 6-8 pm in the Rhubarb Patch at the RK McDonald Nursing Home.
Arts Health Antigonish | AHA! | www.artshealthantigonish.org