SKETCH is a community arts development initiative based in Toronto engaging young people that are homeless and/or on the margins, ages 15-29. Community arts in community health was a research project from SKETCH with support from World Vision Canada, and was completed in February 2012, culminating in this report. The purpose of the project was to evaluate together with its youth participants and the Central Toronto Community Health Centre the value and impact of bringing the arts into non arts settings to build connections between youths and personal or community health resources, and to increase youth attachment to community overall, enabling them to overcome the harmful effects of poverty and homelessness.

The project report focuses on bringing arts exploration and skill building processes into non arts settings to test what elements are necessary in those settings beyond a dedicated arts studio space for optimum engagement. Findings demonstrated that when the community arts were available and accessible in community health centres and hubs, youth felt greater connection with other services offered through those centres and were more likely to use those services over time. All participants reported natural connection between the arts and mental health and in fact felt that more health services should adopt a community arts framework to make their services more relevant and attractive to youth participants as well as less intimidating. Participants said they would access more services for health if they could be attached to health centres through skill building in the arts.

Novak, P. (2012). Me (re)making ME. Canada: SKETCH Working Arts.