Throughout my graduate experiences in the FSU Art Therapy program, I have worked with adolescents and teens and am passionate about the opportunity to work again with this population in a collaborative way- especially those who may be marginalized such as those who identify as LGBT.

- Grace Chartier, FSU Master's Candidate in Art Therapy

Using Art Therapy to Explore Identity with LGBT Youth*

Throughout May, June, and July, Art Therapy student Grace Chartier will be collaborating with youth in the Talllahassee area who identify as LGBT to create an art show featuring their photography. Participants will explore what it means to identify as LGBT through photography and other art forms, over a series of workshops led by Chartier. The project will culminate with an exhibition of the art that is created.

In addition to the photographic works, the exhibition will also feature a short film with interviews with the artists and documenting the hard work they put in to the creation of the show.

Your gift will help provide a space for these youth to tell their stories and to give them a voice in the community. 

How will the funds be used?

Each generous donation will be used for supplies to plan and create the exhibition. These include disposable cameras and other art supplies, printing costs for the photographs, catalogues and promotional materials, mounting and framing services, and other miscellaneous costs such as refreshments for the art show.

Each gift will help to make this project a success and will empower the youth involved by showing them that the community cares about hearing their voices, stories, and perspectives.

About FSU Art Therapy

Art therapy is a mental health profession in which clients - facilitated by the art therapist - use art media, the creative process and the resulting artwork to explore their feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety and increase self-esteem. The goal in art therapy is to improve or restore a client’s functioning and his or her sense of personal well-being.

FSU offers an MS in Art Therapy and a PhD in Art Education with a concentration in Art Therapy. FSU is the only public higher education institution in the Southeast offering a degree in Art Therapy. Read more at http://arted.fsu.edu/Programs/Art-Therapy/.

*This project will serve as the culminating project of Grace Chartier as per the requirements of the FSU Art Therapy Master's of Science program.