GUEST CONTIBUTORS:
Guest Contributors: Julie Thompson Lewis – Masters of Science, Co-Founder | Heather Hutchison – Transpersonal Counseling Psychology : Concentration in Art Therapy (LCAT, ATR-BC), Executive Director and Co-Founder | C.R.E.A.T.E. Community Studios
May is Mental Health Awareness month, a perfect opportunity to highlight how art has the unique ability to help all of us in our mental wellness. Every month, more quantitative scientific research confirms what we, as creatives, know intrinsically: Engaging in the creative arts is healing for us personally. AND we believe it can heal communities.
Across the Capital Region, we at C.R.E.A.T.E. (Capital Region Expressive Arts, Transformation & Empowerment) Community Studios have been redefining how communities approach mental health since 2017. We blend creativity with community care to offer welcoming spaces where individuals of all ages and abilities can explore healing through art. At a time when mental health challenges are increasingly visible, we see therapeutic expressive arts as both a preventive and restorative tool for community well-being.
As co-founders, we started C.R.E.A.T.E. because of the lack of resources specifically devoted to mental health and art in the Capital Region. After our clients left treatment programs that offered clinical art therapy, we looked for resources to recommend to them. When we realized nothing else existed in our area, we built it ourselves. Our programs create pathways for people to move out of isolation and into connection. What makes our organization unique is that all our facilitators have backgrounds in special education, somatic work such as yoga and body-based healing, art therapy, or related fields.
Therapeutic expressive arts—a practice rooted in the belief that creativity fosters emotional release, self-awareness, community connection, and personal growth—sits at the core of our programming. Unlike traditional mental health programs, these approaches emphasize process over product, inviting participants to engage in painting, movement, music, and writing without pressure or judgment. We guide participants in connecting with their inner experiences, helping to regulate the nervous system and build resilience through creative exploration.
We often hear from community members that their experiences in our workshops are transformative. For some, it’s a first step toward addressing long-held stress or trauma; for others, it becomes a consistent practice that supports ongoing mental wellness and combats social isolation. “I feel safe here,” is a common response from our participants.
Our programs range from open studio sessions to specialized offerings exploring various media such as ceramics, painting, and songwriting. Another emphasis of ours is community connection through public art. Public art has the power to engage community members in making art, and activate the spaces they live in. For example, our upcoming “ALCO Tunnel Tile Mosaic” in Schenectady combines community-made artwork into a functional public art space. In Saratoga, we have been collaborating with artists from Black Dimensions in Art and local filmmaker Careina Yard on Erasing Spaces and Faces: The Legacy of Urban Removal in Saratoga Springs, a multidisciplinary social practice project that explores the devastating effects of the displacement and erasure of Black and Brown communities through “urban removal,” a little-known part of the history of Saratoga Springs. By making these experiences affordable, accessible, and inclusive, we are working towards healing in community, bringing joy to our public spaces, and reducing stigma around mental health care.
Our impact extends beyond individual participants. Through partnerships with schools, small businesses, and nonprofits, we bring expressive arts directly into community spaces. During May, Mental Health Awareness Month, we collaborate on community events and public workshops that encourage dialogue, connection, and mental wellness. Our signature event, CREATE-a-Thon, will be held on May 9 from 1 pm to 9 pm at our Schenectady studio location. These efforts not only raise awareness and bring people together, but also help build sustainable, grassroots models for supporting mental health.
As conversations around mental health continue to evolve, we believe deeply in the power of creativity as a collective healing force. By centering expressive art as a pathway to wellness, we are helping to build a more connected, compassionate community—one brushstroke, breath, and shared experience at a time.
ABOUT C.R.E.A.T.E COMMUNITY STUDIOS
C.R.E.A.T.E. Community Studios has four studios in three locations in the Capital Region – 70B Beekman Street in Saratoga Springs, 621 River St. in Troy, 140 Erie Boulevard (main studio) in Schenectady, and 140 Erie Blvd #W105 (ceramics studio) in Schenectady. Look for C.R.E.A.T.E. out and about in your community as well – we often show up at your local farmers market, street festivals, and libraries. To learn more or sign up for our monthly newsletter, hit up our website.
WEB: createcommunitystudios.org | IG: @createcommunitystudios