Our International October Review
Rushing in with Conferences, Collaborations, and Change
In this season of change, the International Museotherapy Initiative continues to celebrate and deepen the unique intersection where museum practice meets art therapy. Across the globe, museum spaces are being reimagined as places not only for cultural preservation but also for mental health and community well-being.
This month, we explore inspiring stories and emerging practices that illuminate how art therapists, educators, and researchers are collaborating to unlock museums’ vast potential to serve as sanctuaries for growth, resilience, and renewal. From innovative programs that foster social connection to trauma-informed approaches that invite gentle healing, museotherapy is blossoming into a vital force for positive change. We’re looking forward to reporting back from the American Art Therapy Conference, which kicks off tomorrow. There are many presentations surrounding museum-based art therapy.
We hope this newsletter sparks new ideas and energizes your interest in this transformative work. Together, we build bridges between creativity and care, fostering spaces where all can find meaning and hope.
Warm wishes for a reflective and restorative October,
Minette & The IMI Team
P.S. If you haven’t already, please take a moment to explore our newest addition: The IMI Podcast. In the season, Brooke hosts wonderful interviews with leading museum curators, educators, art therapists, and more. Paid subscribers have access to full, unedited interviews. The next podcast episode with Dr. Beatriz Galaban will be released Oct 12. The full, unedited interview will be available for paid subscribers one day early, Oct 11.
Some Recent Museum-Based Art Therapy Updates From Around the Web:
For the 2025 American Art Therapy Association (AATA) Annual Conference, a presentation titled “Museum-based Art Social Prescribing: Empirical Research in South Korea” is scheduled. This research aims to explore the effectiveness of prescribing museum visits as part of social prescribing initiatives in South Korea, highlighting the therapeutic potential of cultural engagement in improving mental health outcomes. More information here
The World Art Therapy Festival took place in late September 2025 in Prague, focusing on themes like interpersonal relationships, stress, self-awareness, and psychosomatics through art therapy in museums.
The AATA Conference is set for October 8-11 in Portland, Oregon This conference, with the theme “Exploring the Benefits of Arts Therapies through the Lens of Neuroscientific Theories,” delves into the intersection of neuroscience and creative arts therapies, focusing on how artistic expression fosters resilience and well-being. Presentations will cover topics such as grief work and the integration of art materials and techniques in therapy.
In Europe, new initiatives include a six-month pilot project in Brussels prescribing museum visits for patients suffering from depression, fostering social inclusion and mental health benefits. Museums in Poland, such as the National Museum in Warsaw and the Museum of King John III’s Palace at Wilanów, are actively collaborating with health specialists to promote museotherapy programs, including workshops addressing stress and emotional expression. The National Museum in Kielce hosts conferences and pilot projects to highlight museotherapy’s therapeutic effects.
In France, the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille continues to be a leading example, offering over 140 museum art therapy sessions per year, including for patients with Alzheimer’s, drug users, and children with autism. Their successful collaboration with the University Hospital Center of Lille formalizes museum visits prescribed by doctors, encouraging healing and social engagement through art.
In the U.S., a new collaboration between Bayhealth and the Biggs Museum of American Art focuses on using art therapy to support physician well-being and combat burnout, reflecting a broader trend of integrating creative arts therapies in healthcare to enhance quality of life.
Overall, the past month has seen growing global interconnections in museotherapy, with expanding research, clinical collaborations, festivals, and pilot projects demonstrating museums’ therapeutic value for diverse populations and mental health challenges.
These updates illustrate a vibrant and expanding field where museums serve as vital spaces for art-based healing, community connection, and improved psychological well-being worldwide.
If you are in the museum, art therapy, or museotherapy world and you are hiring, feel free to drop a line. If you’re a graduate student or someone looking for a job in the field or want to get involved with IMI, please don’t hesitate to do the same.