Healing Arts for Kids

Healing Arts for Kids provides residencies, workshops, and performances for acutely and chronically ill children, physically and cognitively challenged children, disadvantaged children, and special education populations in schools, hospital schools, hospitals, and homeless shelters.

Our trained, professional teaching artists provide experiences in the arts that:

• initiate artistic, social, cultural, and academic engagement
• facilitate creativity, imagination, empowerment, and laughter
• cultivate feelings of hope, often hidden when children are critically ill, faced with crisis, or chronic dysfunction
• provide distraction from discomfort and pain
• initiate connections among children, families, artists, and staff through programs that foster education and wellbeing

Currently in its ninth year, Healing Arts for Kids has provided free and subsidized programs in the following sites:

• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Jimmy Fund Clinic, Boston, MA
• Floating Hspital for Children/Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA
• Franciscan Hospital for Children, Kennedy Day School, Brighton, MA
• Horizons for Homeless Children, Community Children's Center, Dorchester, MA
• Massachusetts Hospital School, Canton, MA
• McLean Hospital, Child/Adolescent Inpatient Mental Health Program, Brighton, MA
• Shriners Burn Hospital for Children, Boston, MA

• The New England Conservatory of Music – assisting students in developing and presenting programs for children in special needs environments
• Horizons for Homeless Children preschool program – providing a music residency program "Expanding Horizons Through Music" addressing early literacy skills

How Healing Arts for Kids Can Come to You!

If you would like to learn more about Healing Arts for Kids programs, including how to bring them to your school, hospital, or community organization, please contact Gail Zarren, Healing Arts for Kids Program Director, at 617-629-9262 x304 or gzarren@yamass.org.

Press Releases

YAMA Receives Grant for Work with Disadvantaged and Disabled Youth - One of Ten Programs Chosen for National Recognition
Date: April 25, 2011

Healing Arts for Kids Program Received National Award
Date: March 8, 2010

In the News

Mass Hospital, Luce students team up on arts, music
Source: Canton Journal
Date: December 3, 2010

“I believe Healing Arts for Kids is a program that has inestimable value for children with a wide range of illnesses. It is an investment that in my opinion enhances their lives and humanizes their therapeutic environments and experiences.”
   - Dr. Eli Newberger, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School

“Thank you for the “magic” of Healing Arts for Kids. Through this program, children connect with their environment and each other in new and vibrant ways.”
   - Bonnie Paulino Lanen, Program Director, Kennedy Day School at Franciscan Hospital for Children

“Through these experiences the children are not only learning about new instruments, cultures, movement, and language, they are also gaining confidence and broadening their life experiences. These programs support our strong belief in the value of arts integration.”
   - Daryl-Ann Lewis, Director, Schoen Family Community Children's Center, Horizons for Homeless Children

“It is frequently so difficult, if not impossible, for many of these children to attend community and arts programs. Young Audiences not only brings these programs to our students, but also helps to facilitate bringing children from the local elementary school to join and participate side by side with our students [through the "Together We Can Fly" residency program].”
   - Janice A. Feinberg, Principal, Brayton School at the Massachusetts Hospital School

Healing Arts for Kids is grateful for funding from the following:

• Cabot Family Charitable Trust
• Clipper Ship Foundation, Inc.
• John W. Alden Trust
• Ludcke Foundation
• MetLife Foundation
• Music Drives Us Foundation
• Rowland Foundation
• VSA
• Young Audiences, Inc.
• and individual donors