Hillsboro’s Cultural Arts District is actively promoting wellness by encouraging community members to engage in various artistic endeavors. The City of Hillsboro’s Parks & Recreation Cultural Arts and Outreach Supervisor, Julio Badel, highlighted the therapeutic benefits of art, stating, “Art has the ability to release stress, emotion, energy, and create meditative mindsets.” This initiative aims to foster a sense of well-being through creativity.
At venues such as the Walters Cultural Arts Center, residents can participate in classes that include yoga, ceramics, and painting. These activities are designed to merge creativity with wellness and provide participants with enriching experiences. Badel further explained that “the arts provide a cognitive, emotional, and physical experience that is essential to all peoples and cultures for personal expression,” according to the City of Hillsboro.
Innovative Approaches to Art and Therapy
In addition to traditional art classes, Hillsboro is witnessing a rise in therapeutic art practices. At the Ancora Wellness Center on Lincoln Street, owner Kara Kazemba combines art with therapeutic methods, offering services like ecotherapy and art therapy. These programs aim to enhance mindfulness and self-care among participants. Kazemba emphasized the importance of creativity in modern society, stating, “In a culture that often pushes productivity over creativity, making space for art is a radical act of self-care and protest; one that affirms our wholeness.”
The Cultural Arts District also features nature-inspired art classes led by Elizabeth Higgins. These classes encourage participants to draw inspiration from their surroundings while fostering a connection to nature.
Senior Programs Focused on Creativity
Hillsboro is not only catering to younger demographics but also prioritizing its senior community. The Hillsboro Community Senior Center offers programs such as Canvas and Coffee and Material Girls, which focus on creative expression and social interaction among seniors. According to Melissa Thompson, the center’s manager, “Art and creativity are essential to healthy aging.”
Through these diverse offerings, Hillsboro’s Cultural Arts District is effectively utilizing art as a medium for healing and wellness, supporting individuals of all ages in their personal journeys of expression and self-discovery. The city’s commitment to integrating creativity into health and well-being reflects a growing recognition of the arts’ vital role in fostering a healthy community.
