Richmond, VA – Art for the Journey is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to expand its training and outreach as a Partner Training Center for “Opening Minds through Art” (OMA) and to grow its evidence-based programming, Elevating Lives through Art (ELA).
OMA, created in 2010 by gerontologist Dr. Elizabeth Lokon at the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University (OH), is an intergenerational program that empowers people living with dementia to express themselves through art while building meaningful connections with family members, long-term care staff, students, and volunteers. Since 2018, Art for the Journey has partnered with Scripps Gerontology as one of only four international training centers for OMA, certifying more than 300 facilitators across the U.S. and Canada. The ripple effect of this training has reached thousands of individuals and families.
“With the support of the NEA, we are thrilled to continue expanding the reach of OMA and to introduce the Art for the Journey evidence-based program, Elevating Lives through Art (ELA),” said Cindy Paullin, CEO of Art for the Journey. “ELA is designed to serve people of all ages and backgrounds—including children who have experienced trauma, veterans with PTSD, women in recovery, older adults in low-income housing, and more. This grant makes it possible for us to continue the excellence of our Master Trainers in OMA certification training and widen our impact and transform lives through creativity and connection.”
“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support organizations like Art for the Journey that demonstrate the power of the arts to strengthen communities,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “Through programs that foster creativity, connection, and healing, Art for the Journey is helping to ensure that people of all ages and abilities have access to the life-affirming benefits of artistic expression.”
The NEA’s funding will help Art for the Journey scale both training and program delivery, supporting its mission to promote well-being, healing, and community through the power of art.
THANK YOU National Endowment for the Arts! We are honored to steward these funds in the intersection of art and health, and to deliver intergenerational programming and training to help sustain and grow the positive impact the arts has on our lives!
Art for the Journey invites the community to join in celebrating this milestone and to learn more about its programs and impact at www.artforthejourney.org.
