Calgary’s ‘LOUD’ uses creative art as a form of therapy

A Calgary organization is helping make artistic creation affordable and accessible while improving mental health.

Let Optimism Unleash Dreams (LOUD) is an art society that works towards using art workshops to help with improving mental health issues.

The organization works towards offering art programming that raises awareness on mental illness.

When you walk into LOUD art society’s corner of creativity you immediately feel the calming effect.

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Executive director and founder of the society, Tara Vahab, says they offer services that are research and evidence-based.

“Something that happens with people who are dealing with mental health issues is that we kind of lose appreciation for beauty, we don’t see it, we don’t feel it,” said Vahab.

“So that landscape painting really helps to bring that back [and] help them to see [to] bring in those beauties around them.”

Vahab says the main vision of the non-profit is to make art affordable and accessible.

“We offer our services that are research and evidence-based to youth at risk and vulnerable individuals but recently this year we decided to finally open our doors to the public.”