The Spirit Traveler, tools to heal the body and heart through art-making and sensory awareness, Creative Arts Therapy Workshop, took place during two sessions – August 17-19 and September 14-16, 2022 – thanks to The Gloria Grants for East Harlem Children and Families, one of which was awarded to Creative Arts Therapist Mónica Sánchez and musician Sebastián Cruz by The New York Academy of Medicine. The project was specifically designed for participants aged 11 to 19 and was hosted in August by the East Harlem Tutorial Program and in September by LSA Family Health Service (littlesistersfamily.org).

Project Exhibition

Saturday, April 29, 2023 12 pm to 5 pm
at The Museum of the City of New York
Ronay Menschel Hall

At the Museum of the City of New York we celebrated and shared some of the work, sounds, images, and experiences that came from the art therapy workshops, as well as from the Building Bridges of Hope Creative Arts Therapy Group led by Mónica Sánchez at LSA Family Health Service from November 18, 2022, to March 24, 2023, for women in the community.

We showcased an art exhibition of the Spirit Traveler dolls, projections, presentations, a DJ set through Los Herederos’ sonicycle, an audiovisual outfitted tricycle made entirely from recycled materials and refurbished curbside discards, live music by Sebastian Cruz and special guests, and more.

Program

12pm – 2pm Doll making and mingling

  • Welcome, mingle, walk around and see the exhibit / Bienvenida, oportunidad de mirar el trabajo exhibido.
  • Doll making. There will be a table with all the materials and with designated helpers and printed visual aids / Habrá una mesa con materiales, ayudantes e información para que quienes quieran puedan hacer sus propios “viajeros espirituales.”

2pm – 5pm

  • 3 pm – 4 pm Sonicycle DJ interactive set / sesión interactiva de DJ a cargo del Sonicycle
    The Sonicycle is an audio-visual outfitted green energy bicycle, artist-made from recycled materials. Often referred to as a DJ instrument, documentary tool and community activation platform ‘rolled’ into one, the colorful and interactive bike naturally attracts a crowd, inspires individuals to share stories/testimonials based on music they hear from its decks, and empowers local residents to document and archive their surroundings thereby centering themselves in conversation about its future / El Sonicycle es una bicicleta de energía verde con equipo audiovisual, hecha por artistas a partir de materiales reciclados. A menudo se le llama instrumento de DJ, herramienta documental y plataforma de activación comunitaria ‘enrollados’ en uno solo. La bicicleta colorida e interactiva atrae naturalmente a la multitud, inspira a las personas a compartir historias / testimonios basados en la música que escuchan, y capacita a los residentes locales para documentar y archivar su entorno, centrando así en ellos mismos la conversación sobre su futuro
  • 4 pm – 4:20 pm Video presentations, description of the spirit traveler project, greetings, and acknowledgement / presentaciones de videos, descripción del programa, y agradecimientos
  • 4: 20pm – 5 pm Special concert by Sebastián with special guests bassist Stomu Takeishi and Mafer Bandola / Concierto de música por Sebastián Cruz con invitados especiales Stomu Takeishi y Mafer Bandola

Photos at the Museum of the City of New York