Arts Immersion is dedicated to fostering social connection, artistic expression, and personal growth for individuals experiencing mental health challenges. With 100% of program funding directed toward community-based arts engagement, we provide a safe, supportive environment where participants who are connected with professional Artist Mentors can explore creative practices that complement traditional therapies, build confidence, and reduce isolation.
Who We Serve
Our primary focus is individuals experiencing mental health difficulties, many referred through partnering organizations.
​
Through early community consultations, we heard from caregivers, support workers, and organizations that many individuals face:
-
Social isolation
-
Financial barriers
-
Limited access to traditional arts programs
-
Systemic challenges in finding safe and inclusive creative spaces
To address these gaps, our program also welcomes marginalized and underserved community members who may not have a formal mental health diagnosis but still experience limited access to mentorship or artistic opportunities.
​
As we grow, we aim to reach:
-
Young adults (18+)
-
Individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds
-
Community members accessing local social service organizations
Participant-Led Mentorship
From the very first step, participants have full agency in shaping their creative journey!
-
They select their own mentor from our Artist Mentor Booklet.
-
During the initial match meeting, they share their goals, interests, comfort levels, and any specific needs.
-
Mentor and participant co-create a personalized activity plan, unique to their skills, pace, and intentions.
No two mentorships are alike, because no two individuals are the same. Whether someone is seeking structured skill-building, a therapeutic creative outlet, or a gentle, routine-oriented practice, the program adapts to meet them where they are. We continually gather participant feedback to improve accessibility, session design, and overall experience.
Many of our mentors and facilitators have lived experience with mental health challenges, allowing them to offer empathetic, informed, and meaningful support.​
Our Commitment
Arts Immersion is intentionally designed not to be a one-size-fits-all program.
It is an evolving, participant-centered initiative that:
-
Honors personal agency
-
Values lived experience
-
Builds community through creativity
-
Puts participants at the heart of every decision
Through this work, we aim to reduce isolation, nurture creative confidence, and create lasting pathways to connection and well-being.
When Rhonda first came to Arts Immersion, she wasn’t looking for a mentor, she was looking for someone to write her stories down before they slipped away. Her vivid imagination was intact, but memory challenges and mobility limitations made capturing her ideas feel impossible...
Everything changed the day she met her mentor, Dennis.
All she asked for was patience. What she received was partnership. Together, they found tools that let her express herself independently, assistive software to hold her ideas, a handheld printer to piece together her notes, and visual storyboarding techniques to organize her plots.
And then she began to write.
One of her first creations was a deeply personal song. With Dennis’ guidance and the help of folk musician Doc Higgins, Rhonda brought it to life. When she shared the final recording with peers, the room fell silent...her voice, her words, her story had moved everyone.
Since then, Rhonda has blossomed as a writer. She now works on a short story, poetry, character studies, and weekly reflections, no longer searching for a scribe, but confidently shaping her own narratives.
Rhonda’s Story: Finding Her Voice
Robb Walters