First, let’s just acknowledge that this is a weird time, and none of us really know how to cope. Some days we might feel active and productive- tackling projects at home, connecting with people virtually, picking up a new hobby, or flexing our #coronacooking skills. Other days, we want to veg out- bingeing on TV, getting lost in a book, playing video games, or literally planting a vegetable garden. No matter how we’re getting through the day-to-day, it’s undeniable that art, culture, and creativity are part of our survival. We all know that these practices lower our stress and help our minds and bodies stay healthy, but art and creativity impact public health in another way:
On March 30, the United Nations put out a call to creatives to help stop the spread of Covid-19 with the following message:
The United Nations (UN) needs your help in translating critical public health messages, into work that will engage and inform people across different cultures, languages, communities and platforms. The shortlisted work will reach everyone, everywhere.
Since then, the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine has collected a repository of public health + art resources and released a call for collaboration between artists and public health workers, stating that
Naturally, we wholeheartedly support this type of collaboration. After all, this type of cross-sector work is exactly what creative community development is all about. That’s why we’re putting out a call to FC residents:
Keep your eyes peeled for our artists’ responses! If you want to download, post, or share images from artists collaborating on public health, you can find some here. And if you’re an artist, be sure to check out the resources linked above!
