(MERCER COUNTY, NJ) -- Arts & Health Mercer, a coalition of nearly a dozen arts and cultural organizations in Mercer County, has reunited for a month of special programming. This year's theme, "Creating a Path to Health and Well-Being," is an invitation to the community to take care of your physical, emotional and social health by attending as many events as possible during Arts and Health month this November.
A Passport to Health and Well-Being was created to encourage people to visit multiple arts organizations within the coalition and get their passport stamped along the way.
The coalition includes Art Against Racism, Arts Council of Princeton, Grounds for Sculpture, McCarter Theatre, Morven Museum and Garden, Princeton Public Library, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton University Concerts and West Windsor Arts.
At the end of the month, individuals visiting six or more organizations can drop off their passport at the Princeton Public Library to be entered into a drawing for a swag bag of goodies, all donated by some of the premier arts and culture organizations in our region.
“We established the Arts & Health coalition in 2023 to generate awareness of the health benefits of the arts,” says Aylin Green, executive director of West Windsor Arts, who leads the community-wide initiative. “We promoted each other’s wellness-themed programs, from meditation walks to poetry readings, drawing in nature classes to author talks, to share a single unified message: The arts are integral to our health as individuals and communities. Let’s get healthy together!”
Green stressed that this year’s theme also reinforces that wellness is a lifelong journey, and the arts are there for us all year long. “The Arts & Health Mercer website includes a calendar of events of all the various programs offered by local arts organization members to help us stay healthy. Our plan is to keep the calendar active all year long. We want people to have an easy way to access this kind of programming.”
She noted that West Windsor Arts has added a series of arts and health workshops to its programming in November, including an Altered Book Art Workshop and Painting from Within.
Other activities include American Repertory Ballet’s Dance for Parkinson’s, Drop In and Knit sessions at the Princeton Public Library and a piano concert by Igor Levit presented by Princeton University Concerts. New events will be added throughout the month of November, and beyond. Other Mercer County organizations are welcome to submit additional programming aligned with the mission of the coalition.
“Together, the members of the coalition can leverage our collective resources and creative talents to promote the health and wellness of our community,” Green adds. “You don’t have to be an artist to participate. You just need to make a commitment to yourself. By tapping into your creative side, you can discover your own path to joy, expression and healing.”
Arts & Health Mercer is supported by the Princeton University Art Museum, the Princeton Public Library, West Windsor Arts and Princeton Arts Council’s Olin Cultural Collaboration.
