Statements

Mission

The mission of Healing Arts Project, Inc. (HAPI) is to provide artistic opportunities for persons mental health and addiction recovery to promote healing, community awareness and inclusion.

Background

1 in 5 US adults will experience a mental health problem this year, and approximately 1 in 10 Americans over age 12 are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Yet, mental illness and substance abuse recovery is possible if those struggling with it are given the necessary tools and support. As they're working toward recovery, individuals in mental health and addiction recovery need empowerment to view and show themselves for their abilities rather than their disabilities. Research has shown that they do this very successfully through creative expression and artistic opportunities. Yet, many are low-income and can't afford art classes or materials, and their support centers often can't offer consistent arts opportunities. HAPI exists to fill this gap in recovery and rehabilitation services. We do this by providing free art classes taught by professional artists, art exhibition and publication opportunities, and outreach programs. These opportunities help participants express and externalize their personal struggles, building self-confidence, and empowerment. HAPI originally founded as an awareness and advocacy group, expanded to offer art classes for individuals in mental health and addiction recovery at the request of Middle Tennessee mental health community. In 2004, HAPI hosted its first art exhibition in conjunction with October Mental Health Awareness Week. By the next year, demand for HAPI art classes and exhibitions had grown, increasing HAPI's programming. HAPI's programs now fall into two categories - programs that directly serve individuals in mental illness and addiction recovery and programs that educate the public and promote understanding in our community. HAPI is led by an African American Female, with a team of four part-time, a Marketing and Development Manager and three Program Coordinators, two of who are people of color. Additionally, HAPI contracts with seven teachers to teach art and creative writing classes. HAPI has grown since 2018 and we are now teaching at twenty-two community sites. With the support of individuals and organizations who generously give funds and time to the cause, HAPI can make a big difference by providing enriching artistic opportunities to individuals in mental health and addiction recovery services.

Impact

Accomplishments: HAPI provides an artistic avenue for individuals in mental health and/or addiction recovery by offering free writing and visual arts class opportunities at a variety of peer centers across Middle Tennessee. Through these classes, HAPI enables participants to discover talent within themselves, express their feelings, develop self-respect, create new ways to cope, and build on their artistic knowledge and skill. In 2022, HAPI produced classes for approximately 572 students in 17 peer centers across Middle Tennessee. After each class series, HAPI teachers ask students to fill out a survey. The feedback demonstrates the impact art creation has on the student. One student stated, "Creating art pulls you out of yourself. It makes you escape from the problems that surround and intrude on your life. Your abilities overcome your disabilities." Student survey results of HAPI's 2021 Fall classes reflect what these classes mean to a majority of the students, with an average of 93% responding positively and saying the class made a positive impact on their recovery, increased their knowledge of art techniques, helped them focus on the art instead of their illness, and made them feel more comfortable in social settings. HAPI combats stigma, encouraging conversation and acceptance in the Middle Tennessee community through a variety of educational outreach efforts, including activities at community events, art exhibitions, and artistic and educational publications. In 2022, HAPI curated twenty-one exhibitions of artwork created by HAPI artists. These exhibitions were on display at multiple locations across Middle Tennessee and viewed by approximately 25,000 persons. HAPI also published 'Faith, Hope, and Recovery in Letters,' an annual collection of poems and personal essays by individuals in mental health and addiction recovery from across the state. HAPI also achieved greater financial stability through grant funding from the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and the Tennessee Art Commission. This gift enabled HAPI to restructure the staffing pattern to fit the growth of the organization. HAPI's goal is to increase access to arts in underserved communities. HAPI will reach this goal by stabilizing existing services in the Middle TN region. Especially those areas that have limited means of attending art classes. Such regions include low-income individuals, people of color, young adults, underserved populations, and seniors. Key goals are:1) Increase outreach to those communities that face disparities. 2) Further develop program evaluation methods and metrics. 3) Establish a stronger financial foundation through increased fundraising, especially individual donations. 4) Refine and solidify internal management policies and procedures.

Needs

In order to expand and cultivate its programs and procedures, HAPI is in need of an improved organizational structure as this is our first couple of months with the majority of full-time staff. 1) Monetary/in-kind resources and knowledge to improve technology infrastructure and management for administrative functions, including a. Technology hardware to count people at public exhibits and during outreach events. b. software to help plan, organize and manage the program aspects such as class documents, teachers' communication, etc. from start to finish shared platform for multiple staff members and remote access. 2) Community partnerships to provide access to more public/community venues in Middle Tennessee for exhibitions and outreach programs, especially outside Davidson County (in-kind) 3) Monetary assistance for administrative operations, including for program coordinatoors, etc. 4) Monetary assistance for artistic operations including art materials and art teacher stipends.

CEO Statement

I have been associated with HAPI since 2005; I began as a supporter of HAPI. I really enjoyed viewing the art. Not only was the art healing to the person creating, but is healing to the viewer as well. On days that I needed to relieve stress, I would go to my co-worker's (one of the co-founders of HAPI) office and just admire the art she had hanging in her office. This is my beginning phase with HAPI, as the art that hung on her wall was created by people in recovery as a form to erase stigma. I supported HAPI for a few more years before being asked to join the board of the volunteer-run organization in 2011. I joined the board in 2012 and began the position as Board Chair in 2013, up until 2018, when I resigned and was selected for the Executive Director's position in 2018. My time with Healing Arts Project, Inc. HAPI has been beneficial. Since 2018, I've seen the personal impacts that the provision of artistic outlets has had on persons in mental health and addiction recovery. By offering an avenue to express their unique perspectives, our class participants have the opportunity to grow in personal facets as well as professional ones. Not only do our class participants develop self-actualization through their tactile participation in an array of artistic mediums, but they also develop it through exposure to multiple community events, in which they have the chance to further their professional skills, such as displaying and selling their art. As an African American leader, I have found that HAPI's arts participants tended to be a higher proportion of whites and lower proportions of non-white race/ethnic groups than expected. Therefore, I find myself challenged to overcome any and all inequities. As an organizational leader of color, I want our staff, board of directors, and community partners to be educated on racial inequalities, better understand as an ally, and look at what internal structures would prevent equity. Look to receive education about biases that impacts our philanthropic practices and would seek support and education from colleagues who are in the process of creating change within their organizations.

Board Chair Statement

HAPI is unique because we do not focus on traditional treatment but believe that healing and recovery can come from creative practices. This allows individuals to externalize emotions and feelings in a creative and expressive way that allows connection and self-expression, which can play a crucial role in health and recovery. Research shows that artistic opportunities can help individuals emotionally and mentally on several levels.

Service Categories
Primary Category:	Mental Health & Crisis Intervention  - Substance Abuse Dependency, Prevention & Treatment
Secondary Category:	Arts, Culture & Humanities  - Visual Arts
Tertiary Category:	Mental Health & Crisis Intervention  - Substance Abuse Dependency, Prevention & Treatment

Areas Served

HAPI partners with peer support centers across Middle Tennessee to provide free art classes for individuals in mental health and addiction recovery. HAPI also presents free art exhibitions and outreach programs at numerous public locations, including public libraries, courthouses, and other community centers. These HAPI activities occur in Clarksville, Columbia, Dickson, Fayetteville, Gallatin, McMinnville, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Shelbyville, and Tullahoma, Tennessee.

TN - Sumner

TN - Warren

TN - Lincoln

TN - Davidson

TN - Montgomery

TN - Bedford

TN - Coffee

TN - Dickson

TN - Maury

TN - Rutherford