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Bloomington Youth Art Expression Initiative

Sections

The Bloomington Youth Art Expression Initiative was a collaborative project with Bloomington Public Health, Bloomington Creative Placemaking, Art Lab Rx, and Oasis for Youth. The project was designed to empower local youth through creative expression, allowing them to reflect on and articulate their perspectives on well-being. 

Art supplies
Art instructor with decorative mask
Youth with decorative mask
Art instructor helping youth with masks
Youth using hot glue gun on mask
Art therapist and youth working together

Participants were invited to express their sense of safety, belonging, and well-being as members of the Bloomington community. Youth decorated the inside of their masks to reflect how they feel internally and the outside to reflect how they present themselves to others. Staff made art alongside the youth, creating opportunities for connection and shared experiences.

“Art making provides an opportunity for creative self-expression that transcends the boundaries of time, culture, religion, economic status, and more. During the process of creating, the front of a person's brain goes quiet, and the mid-brain section lights up. The subconscious is activated and what needs to be addressed comes out in the art. It's the physiological phenomenon of flow, the person can forget about time and space while still making art.” 
- Lisa Lounsbury, Executive Director, Art Lab Rx

At the end of the workshop, youth reflected in writing about their masks and the topics of well-being and safety. All participants who completed the reflection reported being either “mostly” or “completely” able to express their thoughts and feelings about well-being, safety, belonging, and community through the workshop. These findings highlight the value of providing youth with creative opportunities to share their experiences and perspectives.

Art Gallery

Art mask 1
Art mask 1
How does your mask represent your well-being, sense of safety, belonging, or your experience in your community? "Very fun, active, and bright."
Mask 2
Mask 2
What is one message or feeling you hope people take away after seeing your mask?
"I hope you feel a sense of calm and resilience. Remember that well-being come from a sense of belonging. You belong."
Art mask 3
Art mask 3
How does your mask represent your well-being, sense of safety, belonging, or your experience in your community? "Pink is not only my favorite color, it calms me..."
Art mask 4
Art mask 4
What is one message or feeling you hope people take away after seeing your mask? "...everyone from different backgrounds and religions come together to express themselves..."
Art mask 5
Art mask 5
What art materials did you choose and what do they represent in your mask? "Faux flowers, leaves, acorns, and sticks to represent a beautiful jungle shielding the chaos."
Art mask 6
Art mask 6
What is one message or feeling you hope people take away after seeing your mask? "Never blow your candle out, your light can never be blown out."
Art mask 7
Art mask 7
"This key is a manifestation of the doors that I hope to open."
Art mask 8
Art mask 8
What art materials did you choose and what do they represent in your mask? "I hoped to make it look natural with the sun on my mask, but I just made the idea that came to my head."
Art mask 9
Art mask 9
What is one message or feeling you hope people take away after seeing your mask? "Take time to invest in all the potential that lies in the depth of your spirit."
Art mask 10
Art mask 10
How does your mask represent your well-being, sense of safety, belonging, or your experience in your community? "It represents my favorite colors, which bring me joy, comfort, and most importantly, peace."
Art mask 11
Art mask 11
What is one message or feeling you hope people take away after seeing your mask? "That a balance of community and nature/alone time is important for a sense of well-being, art, creativity, and safety."
Art mask 12
Art mask 12
What is one message or feeling you hope people take away after seeing your mask? "Honestly, it shows that things get better and that situations can get better."

“All 12 masks became original works, each telling a unique story of identity, hope, and resilience,” shared Lisa. “When young people are given the space to create freely, they don't just make art. They build confidence, community, and a sense of belonging that carries beyond the studio. That is the work worth investing in.”

Connections to City goals

Public Health and Creative Placemaking share a common goal of creating environments where people can thrive. This youth art project uses creative expression to explore how safety, mental health, belonging, and community connection shape well-being, while giving young people a meaningful role in identifying community needs. The project directly supports Bloomington’s Citywide Creative Placemaking goals of: 

  • Practicing Equity by elevating youth perspectives;
  • Fostering Relationships & Building Connections through cross-department and community collaboration; and 
  • Enhancing Belonging & Engagement by creating opportunities for youth to see their experiences and ideas valued in the community.

The initiative also supports Public Health's broader prevention efforts by creating opportunities to strengthen protective factors such as belonging, social connectedness, and emotional well-being.

Watch a video about the mask-making workshop.  

Contact Information

Contact Information

Public Health Department

952-563-8900

Creative Placemaking

952-563-8744