Research studies show that public art can positively impact overall well-being, reduce stress, foster community connectedness, and reinforce community resiliency. Blue Shield Promise Health Plan established a resiliency workgroup based in San Diego to guide the statewide implementation. CBO representatives held conversations with over 200 diverse youth to understand how they interpret resiliency and ways to improve their overall well-being. Seven art projects and a five-month long social media campaign were developed and activated for approach and method implementation. These projects engaged over 1,000 youth aged 13-22 from historically marginalized backgrounds. Local artists, both professional and youth artists-in-training, created and led the creative implementation of murals. This workshop will discuss how a collaborative community model centered on the voices of youth can improve resiliency and reduce the stigma of mental health through art.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand avenues to improve mental health and resiliency through art
2. Learn strategies to develop a collective and community approach to connect with youth and young adults
3. Understand how to develop data-driven outcomes from art and social media