Journeys to Health, a six-month artmaking project features digital stories, photographs and audio pieces made by Four Villages community members.

The project is a part of  Ontario Arts Council (OAC)’s new initiative supporting artist residencies within health care settings to connect wellness with creativity. It embodies a unique way of bringing art and creativity to a health and wellness setting, and explores ways in which community engagement efforts can have a positive impact on the physical space and the community’s experiences in that space.

The Centre for Digital Storytelling and The Four Villages Community Health Centre in Toronto were chosen to collaborate on a project through this program. Their six month-long video storytelling project resulted in short digital stories, photographs and audio pieces featuring Four Villages community members of all ages and walks of life.

Artists Jennifer LaFontaine and Emmy Pantin, from the Centre for Digital Storytelling lead this project. “In a health centre,” Jennifer  says, “the transformative power of storytelling can be life-affirming and support people through processes of healing and understanding.  It brings another layer of humanity to the institution, but at the same time, gives insight and voice to some of the critical issues facing clients at Four Villages.  Our goal is to share these stories with dignity, and see how our digital storytelling practice can also expand within this community.”