Museum-based Art Therapy

Book excerpt: This practical and inspirational resource offers a wide range of information about museum-based art therapy and wellness programming in various museums. Featuring contributions from art therapists and access professionals from various museum-based wellness programs, the book describes museum-based art therapy, education, access, and inclusion to enlarge the scope of professional development and higher education training in art therapy and its relation to museum studies. Chapter examples of successful museum art therapy and wellness initiatives increase awareness about the role of art therapy in museums and the role of museums in building healthy societies and improving lives. The text also contributes to the field of art therapy by deconstructing traditional narratives about therapy being conceived only as a clinical treatment, and by introducing arts-based approaches and strategies in museums as expanding territories for being proactive in community health and wellness. Museum-based Art Therapy is a valuable guide for art students who are interested in working in museum education, access and disabilities, or museum studies, and graduates and professionals working across the disciplines of museums, art therapy, and disability studies.