The Honourable Patricia Bovey delivering one lecture in her four-part series Canadian Art History: Women Artists Breaking Glass Ceilings, to an eager, standing-room-only audience, January 2025
Here comes the sun!
The short days of winter are hard, and the political upheaval of these past months made them feel even bleaker. It was easy to feel isolated, compounding the mental health impact of the dark season. Luckily at MAWA we were able to gather: to imagine, to create and to learn. And with every passing day the hours of light increased, bringing the promise of spring and all of its associated metaphors: hope, renewal and fresh starts. As Manitobans like to say, “We made it through another one!”
According to a recent poll by Canada Helps, being part of an arts community can play a big role in our mental health. They found that almost half of Canadians who engage with arts and culture organizations two to three times a month report having excellent or very good mental health, compared to 35% who never engage. Likewise, people who take part in arts activities report being less lonely. This is hardly surprising. We know that being around like-minded people in a creative setting can be affirming, inspiring and fun!
But something else that the survey revealed was more unexpected: Canadians who participate in arts and culture events are also more likely to personally embrace cultural diversity (78%) compared to Canadians who never engage in arts and culture activities (44%). In other words, engaging with arts and culture not only makes us healthier as individuals, it makes us healthier as a society.
When we come together to draw (p. 5), to bead (pp. 2, 4 and 12), to talk about art (pp. 6 and 7) or even to eat cupcakes (p. 13), we share an experience and, in doing so, experience our shared humanity. These moments of connection are precious. They also form the essence of community: being and doing together, with care and respect.
–Shawna Dempsey and Dana Kletke