May is Mental Health Awareness Month. We all know that taking care of our brains is just as important as taking care of our bodies. But did you know that engaging with art, both creating it and viewing it, has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression? How about that research shows that building community improves mental health by reducing isolation, lowering stress, and fostering belonging?
This is one more reason to get out and “Discover What Moves You” this spring. The campaign—presented by Inspire Washington and Amazon—highlights so many ways to get out and experience art, culture, and community. From heading to a new gallery opening and creating your own art to watching a live performance and learning more about local history, there is a way for everyone to get involved, all while making a positive difference on your mental health. Here are a few ways to make your mental health a priority this month:
Make Art
Art After School: Character Creation & Short Stories at National Nordic Museum:
May 20, 3:00pm
Create your own characters inspired by Moomins’ Sea Adventures. In this after school youth workshop, children are invited to create their own whimsical characters and a fantastical world for their stories to unfold.
Painting Meditation at Kirkland Arts Center:
May 31, 10:00am
A 2-hour introduction to Painting Meditation to experience more peace, presence, connection and kindness, this workshop will connect to what mindfulness means to us personally, our current practices and rituals of meditation, and practice painting meditation together.
Build Community
Vermillion – Capitol Hill Artwalk: May 14, 5:00pm
Make some new friends at Capitol Hill Artwalk. Capitol Hill Artwalk takes place the second Thursday of every month. May 14th features Skrimsli: a series of drawings by Leah Fadness and dance performances by Kyrin Grey and Ezra Dickinson using characters from Norse mythology to explore the treatment of queerness.
Freedom Day at NAAM: May 16, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Freedom Day is a FREE admission day at Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) offered once a month. NAAM uses Freedom Day to spotlight significant and sometimes lesser known moments throughout history that have worked to advance freedom for all. This Freedom Day honors the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panther Party in Oakland, California, a defining moment in the ongoing fight for Black liberation, dignity, and self-determination. The legacy of the Black Panther Party reminds us that freedom is not only demanded, it is built, protected, and sustained through community. In this way, this history is not only a reflection of the past, but a call that continues to shape the present.
Both of the events in this section are also part of the Discover What Moves You Passport Program. Be sure to check in during your visit to earn points toward the passport program. Don’t have a passport yet? Sign up here.
From Kirkland to Seattle, May offers a wealth of opportunities to broaden your mind, take care of your mental health, and discover what moves you. The “Discover What Moves You” campaign is made possible through the ongoing partnership between Inspire Washington and Amazon, whose shared dedication to the Pacific Northwest continues to shine a spotlight on the region’s vibrant arts and culture scene.