The Proulx Foundation and CiiAT Art Therapy would like to once again thank the City of Victoria and the CRD for providing funding for our Art Hive for ages 7 -12 and one-on-one Art Therapy sessions for all ages at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre. Thanks to the continued funding, we have been able to provide ongoing art therapy facilitation at the Art Hive and one-one-one art therapy sessions. The Victoria Native Friendship Centre has been a wonderful partner on this project, providing the therapeutic space and a full meal for participants each week for Art Hive.
The Art Hive is drop-in and free of charge to participants and the kids meet each Monday evening from 5:00- 7:30. The Art Hive is stocked with many different kinds of art materials for the kids to use in any creative way that they come up with. OPUS has donated art materials to the project, allowing the kids to paint, draw, sculpt in clay, collage, craft and the list goes on. At Art Hive, the kids are offered these materials to work with freely, and in a non-directive way. Creativity blossoms and singing, dancing, and art-making happen naturally!
We also offer forty-five minute One-on-one Art Therapy sessions, open to all ages. These sessions occur on Thursday and Friday evenings from 4:30- 7:30 and we are currently accepting new referrals.
Here’s what some of our participants are saying about Art Hive and our one-on-one art therapy sessions:
“It’s really fun and Art Hive is very safe. I just feel very safe here.”- Emily, age 12
“At Art Hive I like playing with friends, and experiencing art. You can make art together!” – Sam, age 8
“You can eat a lot! It’s really fun. You can explore art. You can put your feelings in art. You can draw, paint and build things. You can do a lot with art.” – Jesse, age 11
“I learned that I am an amazing artist, and that I can put my feelings into art because I didn’t know how to do that before. I am the kind of person who can just hold my feelings back, but now I can get them out in my art.” – Pat, age 13
We are very excited and proud of the work we have been doing with the Victoria Native Friendship Centre, and hope to continue the program next year if funding allows.
Note: Names in testimonials have been changed to protect confidentiality.