Project title
Description of initiative
Therapeutic Photography Workshops comprise a year-round program by the non-profit organization Eyes of Light - Arts in Health Hub. The workshops are provided free of charge, to all adults who have experienced cancer in their lives. The project began in 2019 and it aims to improve the emotional well-being and the quality of life of cancer patients and survivors.
The workshops are a combination of photography with other creative and participatory practices, such as self-awareness techniques, group photo-shootings, painting and collage, body expression, group games, etc. The organization has been recognized internationally by the Phototherapy Centre of Canada and has been awarded as the "Best Therapeutic Photography Workshop Provider" by the Private Healthcare Awards 2021 of Global Health & Pharma in the United Kingdom.
Themes: Culture and...
Keywords
Target group
Cultural field
Timeframe
Results, benefits, impact and lessons learnt
The goal of therapeutic photography workshops is to improve the quality of life of people dealing with cancer. They aim to meet the patients' needs of psychological support (e.g., boosting self-esteem, managing emotions, reducing anxiety and depression) and social support (e.g., reducing isolation and stigma, improving social functioning). Their main benefits, as recorded by evaluations, testimonials, and qualitative research, include: increase of self-knowledge and self-confidence, boosts in creativity, imagination and self-expression, raise of positive emotions and gratitude, stress relief, and increased extroversion and sociability.