• 2010

A group of interested community residents began discussions about the integration of arts and health.

• August  2010

The Art Center Sarasota asked two of the interested community residents who were discussing art and health integration, described above, to be part of a panel discussion on arts and healing. Over 50 people attended the panel discussion, and a grassroots movement began to form an arts and health organization.

• September – October 2010

The Coalition for Arts and Health (CAH) Planning Committee informally began to discuss the goals and objectives of CAH and began to plan programs to demonstrate examples of arts and health integration.

• November 2010

First Program sponsored by the new organization, The Coalition for Arts and Health: Demonstrating Visual Art and Photography created by Parkinson’s Patients and Loved Ones: This program, held at the Arts Center Sarasota, featured a Neuro Challenge Foundation exhibit of Parkinson’s patients and loved ones’ visual art and photography, followed by a panel discussion organized by CAH’s informal committee. The panel was comprised of Elizabeth Bornstein, LCSW, Healing Arts Coordinator and Facilitator at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System; and Doreen Sutherland, MBA, President of Neuro Challenge and a local photographer.

• November 2010- February 2011

The CAH Planning Committee continued the momentum with numerous planning meetings and organized additional events and general meetings.

• February 2011

Program on the Benefits of Theatrical Arts in Healthcare and Community Settings:  This program was held at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Annie Morrison, the Co-founder and Director of Kaleidoscope, a theater program for people with developmental disabilities, had some of her program participants perform. The performance was followed by a representative of one of the program sponsors, Brian Hersh, Education and Outreach Director of the Asolo Repertory Theatre sharing the value of this program. Hedda Matza- Haughton, LCSW, creator and director of “Words Not Spoken,” improvisational theatre education and prevention program, presented two monologues performed by community residents. One monologue dealt with the issues facing the wife of a recently diagnosed Alzheimer’s patient. A second monologue addressed customer service, which was training for staff at the Department of Health in Manatee County (DOH-Manatee). Dr. Jennifer Bencie followed and shared the value of this program with the staff of DOH-Manatee.

• March 2011

Program on the Benefits of Music in Healthcare and Community Settings: This program, held at Doctor’s Hospital of Sarasota, featured world-renowned jazz drummer Ronnie Gardiner; creator and founder of  RGRM (Ronnie Gardiner Rhythm and Music Method) and Virginia Bibler, NICU-MT, MT-BC. Virginia Bibler presented on the benefits of music therapy in hospice care. Ronnie Gardiner presented the rehabilitative effects of using rhythm and music for people with brain and central nervous system injury and illness.

• June 2011

CAH formally became part of Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County.  At the same time a Formal Leadership structure was created with two co-chairs of the CAH, a secretary, committee chairs, and members at large.

• August 2011

Program on The Strengths and Challenges of Integrating Arts and Health in our Community: This program, held at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, was moderated with a healthcare panel by Hedda Matza-Haughton, LCSW. The panel consisted of Irene Henderson, RN, BSN, MSHSA, Administrative Director, Volunteer and Professional Services of Tidewell Hospice; Kathy Bergen, Complimentary Services Coordinator of Tidewell Hospice; Elizabeth Bornstein, LCSW, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System; Jan Mauck, RN, BSN, MS, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System; John Overton, CEO of The Pines of Sarasota; Marcus Braz, CEO of Health South;  Debbie Balle, Rehabilitation Liaison of Health South; and Dr. Jennifer Bencie, MD, MSA, Administrator of the Department of Health in Manatee County.  The panel shared the strengths and challenges associated with integrating arts and health in our community, followed by an exciting Q and A and discussion with the audience.  

• October- 2011

Coalition for Arts and Health (Sarasota/Manatee) received national recognition by the Society for the Arts in Healthcare, as one of only six networks in the nation to receive pertinent training. The CAH brought together fifty leaders in arts and healthcare from Sarasota and Manatee Counties for this training held at The Pines of Sarasota.

• February 2012

Partnership with Horizon Bay and Pines Education Institute: Individuals from our community were able to come to Horizon Bay and participate in a simulation of how it feels to have Dementia. This was part one of a two-part program on working with individuals who have Alzheimer’s/Dementia and their loved ones.

• March 2012  

Magical and Mystical Moments: Developing the Artist in People Living with Dementia:  Part two of the program on Alzheimer’s/Dementia was held at The Pines of Sarasota. National Alzheimer’s Dementia expert Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA presented a program geared to artists and other interested participants in bringing out the artist in people living with dementia and teaching the artist how to engage someone with Dementia.

• May 2012

The Art of Well-Being: This program was held at The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch, a continuing care retirement community.  Miguel Rivera, MD, Geriatric Holistic Psychiatrist, discussed the implementation of art in lives and the power art gives for healing. Dr. Rivera also discussed the importance of tapping into our creativity and how art is meaningful, not only for those who are ill, but for everyone in all settings.

• October 2012

Arts and Health Integration Projects in Our Community: This meeting marked a new membership meeting format, highlighting existing arts and health integration offerings in our community.

Stephanie Heidemann, Founder of Authentic Voicework, demonstrated how she uses the voice as a tool for health and healing.  Judy Levine, MFA and Manager of Arts and Cultural Alliance’s Artists in Schools program, demonstrated the creation of Memory Boxes by people with Alzheimer’s and with Teens.

October 2012

The Coalition for Arts and Health received the Arts and Cultural Alliance’s Leadership Award at their 14th Annual Award Celebration: This celebration marked the first time an organization received an award in the Arts and Health award category.

• November 2012

Dance and Health Integration: An Exciting Evening with Experts in the Field of Dance:

William F. Zella, PhD, Program Director at Serenity Place, Doctors Hospital presented on the three benefits of dance: the physical, the social and the cognitive.

Merry Lynn Morris, MFA, USF Dance Faculty presented her dance mobility wheelchair design that she created to enable persons with disabilities to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of dance.

Leymis Bolanos-Wilmott, MFA, Artistic Director of Fuzion Dance introduced participants to the benefits of dance through its basic elements in a movement experience.

• February 2013

Arts and Health Integration Projects in Our Community: This was the 2nd membership meeting format highlighting existing arts and health integration offerings in our community.

Lonnetta M. Gaines, PhD: Artist in Residence, North Sarasota Library – discussed stories and movement as tools for health and healing.

Expressive Arts Florida Institute Creative Partners/Faculty Kathleen Horne, MA, LMHC, REACE; Victoria Domenichello-Anderson, MA, REACE,; Tamara Teeter Knapp, BA; and Elizabeth Bornstein, MSSA, LCSW presented a brief introductory multi-modal expressive arts process.

• May 2013

Reception, Acknowledgement and Celebration of Arts for Health Sarasota-Manatee

This function announced the creation of Arts for Health Florida consisting of Arts for Health Sarasota-Manatee and Arts for Health Tampa Bay. A celebration of the new name and formation of Arts For Health Sarasota-Manatee and Arts For Health Florida ensued. These 2 groups, working collaboratively as a region and independently in their communities, planned to expand into a statewide network. The recognition of past support from the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County was noted. Sheela Chokshi, M.D., Physician Leader of Integrative Medicine program at Tampa General Hospital, highlighted the benefits of arts and health integration in healthcare and shared examples of art and health programs at the hospital.

• November 2013

           Movement and Writing in Arts and Health Integration: Ronni Miller, Founder and Director of Write Out, a

motivational and expressive writing program for individuals of all ages, presented her work on the power of expressive writing to overcome the impact of illness. Linda Mcdonald, CLMTA, Health Steps/ Lebed Program, invited all to come and experience a dynamic movement and dance program with music accompaniment –an evidence based program that is in 900+ hospitals/centers in the US and fourteen countries.

• October 2014

Helping Veterans Through Music: Ray Hodges, a Vietnam veteran, long-time Manatee County schoolteacher (now retired) and founder of Sarasota-Manatee’s chapter of SOLDIERS SONGS AND VOICES spoke about the impact music lessons have on veterans in our community.  Soldiers Songs and Voices “proudly offers veterans and musicians alike an opportunity to share with each other the incredible powers of expression and camaraderie that only music offers.”  Special Program Note: Songs composed by local veterans were performed during the evening’s meeting.

• February 2015

Health Benefits of Laughter, Fun, and Play: Hedda Matza- Haughton, a licensed clinical social worker, health educator, a drama teaching artist, actor, and President of “For The Health of It” Consultation Services, shared excerpts of her uplifting, and highly interactive “Laugh for The Health of It” program, which has been helpful to healthcare providers, consumers of healthcare facing life- threatening illnesses, and the general community.  The presentation demonstrated the health benefits of laughter and allowed the audience to discover how laughter and joy can be incorporated into arts and health integration work, as well as into their personal lives. Ms. Matza-Haughton has appeared on local and national TV as an expert on such issues as stress management, breast cancer, improvisational drama dealing with a variety of life issues, and creativity through laughter.  Her drama work, entitled, “Words Not Spoken,” is incorporated into all of her presentations, and has participants laughing and learning as well.

• April 2015

Loveland Center Takes Developmental Disabilities to Heart with Music and Drama: Lisa Richardson, MAAT, LMHC, Art Therapist and staff of Loveland Center; and Gina Cahill, Assistant Director of the Loveland Players and Activity Director of Loveland Center, shared inspiring moments of how engaging adults with developmental disabilities in drama and music in the Loveland Player’s Follies helped participants improve their self-worth and increase self-confidence in all areas of participants’ lives. The presentation included video excerpts from the current rehearsal season and the dynamic history of Loveland Center’s relationship with Venice Theater.

• May 2015

Inaugural Peer to Peer Roundtable of Arts For Health Sarasota- Manatee Arts and Health Practitioners: At this meeting the professional members of AFHS-M, all arts and health practitioners, explored the strengths and benefits for the people they serve, what is rewarding for the arts and health practitioner, as well as the challenges and obstacles in doing arts for health integration. Those present also discussed future desired topics. The roundtables were initiated to provide networking opportunities, and to support and further educate the arts and health practitioners.

• August 2015

Second Peer to Peer Roundtable of Arts For Health Sarasota-Manatee Arts and Health Practitioners: This second Peer 2 Peer Roundtable topic was on marketing and branding for Arts and Health Practitioners. Practitioners also benefitted from a lively exchange of information and resources.