Discussions surrounding mental health, which include openly speaking about it and busting myths, have been gathering steam over the past few years. This is especially true in the aftermath of the pandemic, where people were (for lack of a better word) forced to have healthy discussions about their psychological well-being.
To unravel the various links between art and mental health, Chennai-based The Little Theatre is organising a panel discussion on the topic “The Impact of Arts on Mental Health” on 5 July at the Goethe-Institut in Chennai.
The panel discussion is a part of The Little Theatre’s “The Little Festival”, an international theatre festival for young audiences organised every year that acts as a platform for various countries to strengthen ties with the youth of India. This year, it is being held from 2 to 6 July.
Myriad of perspectives
“The transformative and healing power of art needs to be explored further,” says Dr Rohini Rau, a doctor, sailor, medical clown, and a trustee of The Little Theatre.
“People are slowly realising how important it is to talk about mental health instead of considering it taboo. Through this panel discussion, we hope to explore both the positive and negative impact of the arts on mental health,” she adds.
For the past 32 years, The Little Theatre has focused on helping children overcome the stress of schoolwork through high quality theatre productions and creative workshops. And in its 12th year now, audiences can look forward to two productions this time.
The group’s brand new in-house musical, The Kooks. Sunny side up!, is premiering at the festival at the Anna Centenary Auditorium in Kotturpuram, with shows from 2 to 4 July. The second production, called His Day!, will be performed by ArtstageSan, a talented theatre group from South Korea, at the same venue on 5 and 6 July.
The panel discussion will feature seven professionals — Anita Ratnam, Preeti Vasudevan, Dr Lakshmi Sankaran, Dr S Bhavanishankar, Dr Rathi Jafer, Dr J Radhakrishnan, and Dr Sujatha V — from different walks of life who have explored the impact that art has on mental health in their distinct ways.
The session will be moderated by Dr Rohini and her husband Krishnakumar B, an actor, medical clown, and the artistic director of The Little Theatre.
Also Read: TN school’s art show displays works of nomadic tribal children
Creativity in diversity
“Performer and arts entrepreneur Anita Ratnam, who is also the founder and managing editor of narthaki.com, along with Preeti Vasudevan, dancer and choreographer, will be able to reflect on how art has helped them in their personal journeys, in their interactions with their students and audience, and how they view art in different capacities,” explains Dr Rohini.
The event has been designed to foster a dialogue between the panellists and the audience, to address a diverse range of mental health conditions across the spectrum of illness, and the role played by art to help overcome them.
“Dr Lakshmi Sankaran of Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health will lend her insights into how they use art therapy in treating advanced psychiatric illnesses. An educator, Dr S Bhavanishankar of the Lalaji Memorial Omega International School, will focus on what schools can do to use art to promote mental health among students,” she adds.
Also Read: Kerala library’s initiative is ushering in a spring of knowledge
Initiatives for mental health
“We are excited about hearing from Dr Rathi Jafer, Director, InKo Centre, about the significance of cross-cultural collaborations in the art world. Indian youth are heavily influenced by South Korean art and her views on the topic will add greatly to the discussion,” says Dr Rohini.
She adds, “I also hope that Dr J Radhakrishnan, Corporation Commissioner, Chennai, will bring about positive transformations in policy, leveraging the potential of art to enhance healthcare and mental health initiatives in the city.”
The panel also includes psychiatrist Dr Sujatha V, who creatively uses handloom, sari printing, and Japanese art in her therapy sessions.
Healthcare through arts
The Little Theatre has always been at the forefront of creative therapy in healthcare.
From 2015 to 2020, they ran a creative therapy art studio at the Institute of Child Health & Hospital in Egmore, Chennai.
Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the studio had to be temporarily converted into a ward. However, plans are underway to restart its operations soon.
Known as the Centre for Creative Arts Therapy, this unique initiative had a full-time expression arts therapist who used to work directly with patients at the studio. The projects conducted at the studio, encompassing art, music, and dance, have yielded remarkable outcomes.
“Additionally, we are involved in weekly sessions of medical clowning at the hospital. I am the only medical doctor in India to undertake the activity,” Dr Rohini says proudly.
“The art of medical clowning goes beyond mere make-up and entertainment, aiming to create a positive environment within hospitals that are often devoid of joy. We have been doing this since 2015, demonstrating its effectiveness in improving the well-being of patients,” says Dr Rohini, daughter of author, playwright, and founder of The Little Theatre, Aysha Rau.
