LIKE OTHER FORMS OF THERAPY, art is also a safe and healthy way to channel stress and other negative emotions into action. Research has found that making art can activately reward pathways in the brain, reduce stress, lower anxiety levels and improve mood. On the evening of September 24, over 100 people, mostly youth, gathered at Art Rwanda-Ubuhanzi's Incubator for an event titled Mental Health Meets Art. Organised by Safe Place, an organisation that is contributing toward having a healed community, the event saw different artists display their art as therapeutic tools, as well as mental health experts and activists raising awareness. According to James Mugambe, Founder and Executive Director of Safe Place, they wanted to reveal how art connects and affects mental health. Personally, I had times when I wasn't feeling good, and listening to music helped me heal without even seeing a therapist. From that context, I thought that there were a lot more people that are like me,” he said. “We are also letting the art community know that whatever they do has an impact on people’s mental wellness.” Mugambe also noted that they are trying to put the two fraternities together so that artists can understand how what they do affects other people's mental health; either positively or negatively, adding that people who are consumers can also know what kind of art to consume bearing in mind how it affects them. He disclosed that they are planning to have other editions to bring together players and organisations whose work concern mental health. During the event, artist Innocent Kagabo was a painting instructor. He believes that art can reinstate hope in people and heal them and that through painting, one can communicate what they need and how they feel in a particular moment – something that was experienced in a painting therapeutic session that formed part of the event. Anitah Umurungi, a student at the African Leadership University (ALU) was among those who underwent the session. She said that at first, she didn't have something in mind, but when they guided her, she came up with a painting that speaks to her. “Kagabo said, ‘When you think of sadness, what comes to your mind?’ and I was like, ‘crying’ because when there are so many deadlines and works I haven't done yet and things piling up, I usually find myself locked up in a room crying about it and then, I take it all out in a moment and can move on, she said. “Coming up with the painting, I realised how crying really helps me. It spoke so many words that I haven't been able to speak.” Umurungi also declared that she usually goes for music and writing to express how she feels. I usually express myself through writing when someone gets me angry. I don't deal with things right at that point. I stock them up and when I feel like I can't contain them anymore, I find it easy to put them on paper and of course listen to some music. That usually gets me going, she said. America Nelson is an activist who is passionate about mental health and has been working with the Lighthouse organisation to raise mental health awareness in different communities. She said it’s something that is starting to gain traction in Rwanda given that more people are interested to know about mental health. Talking about art therapy, she said it is important because most of the time, people are dealing with painful things and sometimes don't have words to verbalise them. “The good thing about art,” she continued, “is that you can express yourself by using something else rather than your words. You can sing, play an instrument, paint, dance, or build. There are so many different ways you can use to release that tension. And you don't have to be an artist to do that. Anybody that has a feeling can express it through art and it doesn’t have to be good art.” Nelson likes to use music as therapy. She said that she sings and plays guitar or piano and that helps her to release sadness or stress. Talking about sharing mental health experience, she declared that one should do it only if they are safe enough to do so. For me, I always like to share because I know people want to hear stories so that they can feel more confident to take a step that they want to take. If nobody talks about it ever, then, there is no example, validation, or direction,” she said. “Whenever I have an opportunity to share; to speak about mental health and my journey with art therapy, I always take that opportunity because even if there is only one person who can connect with it, it can help them feel better and sometimes save their lives if they are in a very dark place.”
