This spring at Franklin & Marshall College, students discovered how art can help them feel better and heal. The college fostered this message through several programs, including a special event showing how powerful art can be for our well-being.
Research strongly supports the value of art in supporting mental health. A 2016 study led by Dr. Girija Kaimal at Drexel University found that 45 minutes of creative activity significantly reduced cortisol levels in participants, regardless of their prior art experience. The study, published in Art Therapy journal, demonstrates that making art can help lower stress levels. These findings showed why events like F&M’s “Healing Power of Art” played such an important role in supporting student wellbeing.
Franklin & Marshall’s Phillips Museum of Art creates opportunities to explore creativity through art. The museum brings the campus community together with engaging exhibits and interactive activities filled with energy and learning. While some events like “The Healing Power of Art” focused on well-being and reflection, the museum creates an inviting atmosphere where students can experience various forms of art while connecting with their fellow students through shared creative experiences.
The “Healing Power of Art” event was held on January 21st at the Steinman College Center. The Lancaster YWCA and F&M’s Office of Community and Belonging worked together to create this special day focused on healing through art. The event was part of the National Day of Racial Healing and showed how making art can help students work through difficult feelings and experiences.
One of the main activities at the event was creating a group mural called “The Power of Expression.” Everyone who came could add their own artistic touch to this big artwork, which showed how our community can come together to create something meaningful.
The event also included Racial Healing Circles, where students sat together, talked, and created art in a comfortable space. These circles gave students a chance to share their stories and listen to others while making art together.
The “Healing Power of Art” event gave F&M students a chance to explore how creating art can help with stress and self-expression. Through activities like painting, drawing, and working on the community mural, students took a break from academics to try various creative activities. This event offered a unique opportunity to experience how art can be used for relaxation and reflection.
Looking forward, F&M plans to offer even more art therapy programs throughout the year. The success of events like “The Healing Power of Art” showed just how much students benefit from creative activities that support their mental health.
F&M is finding new ways to help students take care of their mental health, and art therapy is proving to be one of the most popular and helpful tools. Through these programs, students aren’t solely just making art, but are also building a stronger, more caring campus community here at F&M.
Photo credits to F&M’s Center for Racial and Gender Equity
First-Year Ashley Witkowski is the Campus Life Editor. Her email is awitkows@fandm.edu.