This spring, CultureLink’s Newcomer Mental Health Program partnered with the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) to facilitate a series of sessions that proved that mental wellness means more than talking—it thrives on action, creativity, and connection.
Between February and April 2025, every third Thursday of the month, we hosted an Art Workshop Series at the ROM. Each session blended together exclusive museum tours with hands-on art-making, and created a safe and welcoming space for newcomers to explore their feelings, build resilience, and experience the healing power of creativity.
With an average of 16 participants per session, the series included:
Intuitive Scribble Art Workshop – Inspired by the vibrant colours of the Nature in Brilliant Colour gallery, the group let their creativity flow through freeform scribbles.
Vision Board Workshop – Using stunning images from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 exhibition, attendees created vision boards to visualize their dreams and goals.
Mindful Drawing Workshop – After exploring the beautiful patterns and harmony in the Schad Gallery of Biodiversity: Life in Crisis, our guests practiced mindfulness through detailed, calming drawing exercises.
Participants shared:
“The event was really relaxing and I feel less stressed after it. It exceeded my expectations.”
“It was a great experience—please keep offering workshops like this. It wasn’t just mindful; it was also very informative with the museum guide.”
Every workshop began with a guided gallery visit, facilitated by the ROM’s incredible educators. After the tour, participants took part in an art workshop led by our Mental Health Program team—showing that mental wellness can be fun, meaningful, and interactive.
We want to thank the ROM team for making these sessions informative, engaging, and inspiring! Together we’re breaking the stigma: Mental health isn’t only about struggle—it’s about joy, creativity, and discovering new ways to care for ourselves.