People’s School on Arts and Health Equity

The People’s School on Arts and Health Equity will explore the connections between the arts, the social determinants of health equity, and social justice. Central to the Antigonish Movement and the StFX Extension Department, the well-established People’s School methods of teaching and learning build on common knowledge and foster action by every participant.

A series of visual prompts will be available during this initial learning forum. These will take the form of 14 banners featuring vintage photos drawn from the Antigonish community and developed by HARP publishers for the Imagine Antigonish installation (www.imagineantigonish.ca). These banners present a visual history of the essential conditions for universal health and cultural, financial, and environmental sustainability. The cooperative arts underpin other determinants of health equity, which include food and income security, housing and transport infrastructure, childhood and adult education, sports and play, spiritual beliefs and practices, and environmental sustainability.

Using these prompts as a starting off point, we will Raise awareness of how the diverse ways the arts are present and connected to aspects of your daily life and the overall health, and wellbeing of the community.