Offering free, professionally led art therapy sessions in community centers as a mental health resource for all ages, integrated into public health.
Art Therapy as a City Service in Community Centers
Recognizing arts power for healing, Mamdani integrates art therapy into the citys public health infrastructure. Licensed art therapists are hired to run free, open-group and individual sessions in community centers, libraries, and senior centers across the city. Sessions are available for children dealing with trauma, seniors combating isolation, adults managing stress, and anyone seeking a non-verbal outlet for expression. No artistic skill is required; the focus is on process, not product.
This service destigmatizes mental health care, provides a low-barrier entry point for support, and leverages creativity as a tool for resilience. It is particularly valuable in communities with limited access to traditional therapy. Healing doesnt always happen in talk, Mamdani says. Sometimes it happens in clay, in paint, in movement. By offering art therapy as a city service, we acknowledge that mental well-being is a public good and that creativity is a powerful path toward it.
