ELORA – The Elora centre for the Arts and Aboyne Rural Hospice are set to present the second event in their joint Vibrant Visions speaker series, ‘Beyond Words: How the Arts Bring Meaning and Connection in Life’s Final Chapter.’
Vibrant Visions is a three-part speaker series that explores a range of topics from enriching the lives of children with disabilities to exploring innovative approaches to end-of-life care.
The Beyond Words portion of the series will take place Feb. 23 from 3 to 4:30pm at the Elora Centre for the Arts and will feature five event speakers covering topics such as music therapy, palliative care and more.
“When the Aboyne Rural Hospice and the Elora Centre for the Arts came together, our goal was to create a speaker series that spoke to three elements that we felt were really crucial, health and wellness, community connection and the arts,” said Aboyne Rural Hospice board member Dr. Clarissa Burke.
Aboyne Rural Hospice is a movement to bring a new hospice location to rural Wellington County.
The initiative has recently acquired two acres of land where a physical location will be built.
“We know that down the road, we’re going to be collaborating with the Elora Centre for the Arts and artists in general to support people who come to reside at our hospice,” said Burke.
“But we wanted to start building those connections now.”
“It’s been a sort of a growing experience learning how the art center can best serve the community,” said long-time volunteer and former co-chair of the Elora Centre for the Arts Sheila Koop.
“And what has really emerged is that we are part of wellness in the community, we offer space for creativity that doesn’t exist anywhere else, and we know very well that contributes to good mental health.”
Koop told the Advertiser she believes art can provide those in hospice care and those grieving an outlet for their emotions, where words may not be able to articulate their feelings.
“Each person finds comfort through some sort of art form, because it touches us in an emotional way, the same way when you listen to an incredible song and it makes you feel a certain way, or you look at a painting and it just evokes emotion,” said Koop.
“I think there was a gentleman who came in to buy tickets for the session on Feb. 23 because his wife had died of cancer, and his grieving process was helped so much through writing.
“So, I think there are many, many examples for each individual where the arts helped to give comfort.”
Event speaker and palliative care physician Dr. Chris Lund said some of his most vivid memories in his field are from artists who were experiencing their end-of-life transition.
“My most vivid memories are from artists who were experiencing, you know, end of life,” said Lund.
“They still, you know, went back to working in their art, their painting or their sculpture, or their fabric art, whatever it was, at end of life, as a source of comfort, working through the emotions that go along with being palliative and suffering.”
Tickets to the event are $30 each, $20 for seniors and students, and can be purchased at eloracentreforthearts.ca.
All proceeds will support the new expansion and accessibility project at the Elora Centre for the Arts and contribute to the development of Aboyne Rural Hospice in the community.
