International Platform 3: Seville University (Andalusia, Spain)

This project will be carrying out an assessment of the impact of some creative practices in Andalusia (Spain) in terms of ‘mutual recovery’ as follows:

1. Assessment of the impact of artistic creation workshops, held at the Centre for Contemporary Art in Andalusia (CAAC), in people with diagnosed of severe mental illnesses and the professionals in charge.
   
   Since 2006, there have been held various successful annual creative workshops in the CAAC with patients suffering from severe mental disorders, thanks to an agreement between the Andalusian Health Service (SAS), the Andalusian Foundation for Social Integration of People with Mental Illnesses (FAISEM ) and the museum’s management. The contents of the workshops are based on the temporary exhibitions, open to the general public, organized by the museum.
   
   In the following link you can find information and images of the activity; only in Spanish, at this time unfortunately.
   
   http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/servicioandaluzdesalud/principal/documentosacc.asp?pagina=gr_smental_derrecup_4
   
   After first approaching to the people in charge of the program at the end of last year, we are now in the middle of negotiations with the institutions leading the project, and hopefully, we will start to get the first data in late February 2015. However, we already have some previous information gathered by the professionals who develop the intervention.
2. Study of the Theatre workshop organized by the Seville Association of People with Down syndrome.
   
   The aforementioned association conducts a theatre workshop with people with Down syndrome. It takes place in a secondary school and some college students participate in the workshop as volunteers. Our intention is to explore the psychological impact in terms of recovery of the activity in Down syndrome participants, parents, volunteers and professionals. To do so, we look forward to the work of a PhD student.
3. Seminars on Art and Psychology.
   
   We are seeking various engagement and dissemination cycles for this emergent project.