“A Conversation on Mental Wellness and the Arts" at Quad City Arts -- October 26.
Monday, October 26, 6:30 p.m.
Quad City Arts Center, 1715 Second Avenue, Rock Island IL
With the event held in conjunction with the Rock Island venue's current exhibition The Monster Under My Bed, Quad City Arts will host A Conversation on Mental Wellness at the Arts on October 26.
The public is invited to join members of The M.A.D. Therapy to view the exhibit and take part in a discussion about how artists use artmaking to support their own mental health and wellness, as well as how experiencing art can positively affect well-being. "The mission of The M.A.D. Therapy is to create a safe place to explore difficult topics, lead authentic lives, and make changes to get there by providing culturally competent, quality, and ethical mental health services.
What are the monsters that keep us up at night – and what helps us turn on the light? Twenty-seven regional artists answer those questions in The Monster Under My Bed, a group exhibition exploring the fears, anxieties, and challenges that can linger just beneath the surface. The exhibiting artists include: Bill Biagi; Marianne Biagi; Annabelle Bishop; BriEco; Alan Cassius; Kylie Clements; Johnnie Cluney; Jae Florence Corales; Estevan Cornejo; Jesse Coughlin; Michael Dahl; Emma Duffy; Bradley Ellis; La Della Gallagher; Isabella Guy; Miranda Jordan; Shayla Ray Kent; Lisa Mahar; Jeremy Marquis; Sherry Maurer; Morgan Napier; Atticus Norman; Nicole Ponce; Michelle Ryan; David Zahn; Neal Zahn; and Matthew Terry. Several participating artists will be part of the October 26 panel discussion.
Art can give people a way to express experiences and emotions that are difficult to put into words. Exhibitions such as The Monster Under My Bed allow artists to share those experiences while giving audiences opportunities to connect, reflect, and begin conversations around mental health and other topics that can be hard to discuss. By bringing artists, community partners and the public together, Quad City Arts helps create an accessible space where art can open the door to meaningful conversation.
A Conversation on Mental Wellness at the Arts will take place in the Rock Island venue on October 26 from 6:30 to 8 p.m., participation is free (though donations are encouraged), and The Monster Under My Bed exhibition will be on display through December 4. For more information, call (309)793-1213 and visit QuadCityArts.com.
