黄色短视频 students Sophia Bond ’25 (right) and Kayla Davis ’23 use smartphone technology to enhance how they view a mural in downtown St. Petersburg. Photos and video by Penh Alicandro ’22
When is a mural much more than a large painting on a wall? When it鈥檚 paired with performance art鈥攕uch as music, drama, poetry or dance鈥攖hat can appear on your phone while you鈥檙e looking at the mural. And when all those art forms are specifically chosen to help evoke positive, hopeful feelings, they can improve mental health.
That is the essence of , a project begun recently by the , a nonprofit organization that advocates, educates and supports the local creative community. 鈥淎rt reveals the beauty of life, which is especially important when we experience depression, anxiety, loneliness and stress,鈥� explains Terry Marks, Arts Alliance CEO and originator of the idea behind the project.
鈥淢urals in Mind brings our community of artists together to support and uplift wellness for all, because art heals. SPAA understands that Murals in Mind will not cure those who struggle, but it can be a public and daily reminder that there is hope, help and resources to provide a shift in thinking and action.鈥�
Paige Dickinson, Ph.D., associate professor of human development
Enter Paige Dickinson, Ph.D., associate professor of human development at 黄色短视频, who also is a clinical health psychologist and a board-certified drama therapist who specializes in arts and medicine programming. She also co-authored the book (Intellect Books, 2021).
When SPAA officials were looking for a mental health expert to weigh in on their 12 selected as well as the performance art paired with them, they turned to Dickinson.
鈥淭here are programs at a variety of locations, usually in large cities, that look at arts and healing,鈥� Dickinson explains. 鈥淭his is the first one I had seen that looks specifically at using murals within a community that are already established, and to connect that with other artistic forms 鈥� music, movement, poetry 鈥� with the intent to bring healing with them. That got me really excited. I had never seen that before.鈥�
Dickinson says her role was 鈥渢o make sure the project isn鈥檛 going to create harm in any way, that the exhibits were not going to be triggering. This is not an experience inside a facility like you鈥檇 find at a museum. It鈥檚 a community experience.鈥�
Dickinson was asked to sit down with SPAA staff to review the murals they had selected, 鈥渁nd it was like a training,鈥� she explains. 鈥淭he way patterns or colors in a mural might elicit different emotional pulls that could be triggering to someone. It鈥檚 about the story one might create from the image.
鈥淥nce they picked the murals and the art or music or poetry that went with them, I gave them feedback and suggestions. Is this poem a good match for this piece of art or this piece of music? With music, you have to think about tempo and key. Music in a major key tends to have a more positive response, while music in a minor key can trigger a sad response.
鈥淲e are working with people鈥檚 feelings and emotions,鈥� Dickinson adds, 鈥渁nd for a nontherapeutic organization to understand that from the beginning and seek out a consultant to be sure they鈥檙e using art in a positive and safe way for healing is amazing. It鈥檚 a turning point in my profession. I give huge credit to Tiffany Ford. She had worked previously with creative arts therapists, as well as Terry Marks, who recognized the need to have a consultant come in.鈥�
Ford is SPAA鈥檚 director of community advancement. She explains that SPAA was funded by the and e initiatives to bring this mental health project to fruition. Viewers can stand in front of a mural or watch remotely and experience the merging of visual and performance art through a QR code or by using PixelStix technology on their smartphones. Videos can also be viewed on a tablet or desktop.
One of St. Petersburg’s colorful downtown murals
Ford notes that SPAA recognizes that Murals in Mind doesn鈥檛 serve as therapy, but when someone is having a particularly difficult day, sometimes reading, listening to music or absorbing art allows them to alter their mood or their emotion toward the positive. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a complex idea,鈥� she adds. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 something that is a growing need.鈥�
SPAA鈥檚 website points out that according to the Florida Department of Health, more than 407,000 Floridians were hospitalized in 2019 for mental/behavioral health disorders. Pinellas County alone had nearly 1,500 people who attempted suicide, with about 15% of those attempts resulting in death. In addition, more than 23,000 people in Pinellas County were hospitalized for behavioral and mental health issues that year.
But St. Petersburg is fortunate, Dickinson notes, to be home to SPAA, a large arts community, and dozens of small-business owners who are open to having their buildings showcase artwork. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 see that in a lot of cities,鈥� Dickinson adds. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a community here that appreciates art and the message of art. It鈥檚 the good side of a perfect storm.鈥�
