The Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art invites you to apply for a free-of-charge art therapy session on the 3rd of December, at 16:00. The session will be held in English and online (on Zoom). Participants will have the opportunity to become more familiar with art therapy, as well as contemporary art, guided by the certified art therapist Julia Volonts. The session will offer a chance to be creative and work on self-improvement through art; specifically, a number of artworks from the Survival kit 12 festival. No knowledge or skill regarding art is needed to take part in this session – the only requirement is one’s readiness for creative expression.
About the event:
>> Application form: https://forms.gle/SPhaxHSZB6sHiLto9 Applications are welcome until the 29th of November. The number of participants is limited.
>> Time and place: 3rd of December, at 4:00-5:30 PM, the Zoom link will be privately sent to participants.
>> The length of the session is 1,5 hours, divided into three sections – introduction, conversation, creative endeavours.
>> In case you have any questions, feel free to contact:
>> Māra Žeikare – 29586893, mara[at]lcca.lv
Julia Volonts is an art therapist from New York. She has a master’s degree in art therapy from the School of Visual Arts and she recently held a post at the New York Creative Arts Therapists, a long-standing group therapy clinic in New York. She has clinical experience in education, as well as social and private practice, where she has worked with children and families as well as teenagers and adults. In 2019 Julia received a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct art therapy research in Rīga, Latvia, where she is currently residing. During the pandemic she has worked with non-profits and social organizations, facilitating art therapy sessions and groups in order to process this uncertain time. In Latvia, this cooperation took the form of working with the MARTA centre, the Rīga Stradiņš University, the ISSP Gallery and the LGBT House Rīga. In addition to clinical experience, she is an active member of the European Federation of Art Therapy (EFAT) and a former board member at the New York Art Therapy Association, a subsidiary of the American Art Therapy Association (AATA). She has also been a collaborator for several art therapy exhibitions in New York and took part in the artists’ residence for graduates of the School of Visual Arts in 2017.
This year’s educational programmes by the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art focus not only on people interested in art, but also on promoting empathy and understanding of mental health across different social groups. By employing art therapy methods in contemporary art exhibitions we wish to remind that right now it is especially crucial to take care of one’s own mental health. Art therapy is a creative way to do that. Art therapy at a museum or an exhibition allows one to use the artworks therein to deeply explore various relevant topics.
The LCCA educational programme is supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation, the Latvian Ministry of Culture, and the Rīga City Council.