April 7, 2025

Introducing the CreativityHub: A Tool to Foster Connection in Challenging Times

In today’s climate of uncertainty and anxiety, the need for stronger emotional well-being and deeper connections is more important than ever.

While access to robust and affordable mental health resources remains of critical importance, there is also a need for simple, convenient tools that allow as many people as possible to feel better connected to themselves and their communities, increasing their resilience and optimism.

The Opportunity: The CreativityHub

To meet this need, The Foundation for Art & Healing recently launched the CreativityHub, an online resource to engage, inspire, and connect individuals through creative expression and equip them with the resources required to face these challenging times.

Some may not think of themselves as creative enough to share their work with others. The CreativityHub eliminates those barriers by providing a suite of simple creative activities that encourage self-expression, social interaction, and reflection. That allows people from all backgrounds to develop a stronger sense of connection to themselves and the means and motivation for connecting to others.

The CreativityHub includes a Connection Poll to help users check in with their emotions and an assortment of twelve creative prompts for solo and group activities. From writing a six-word poem to using colors to recall joyful memories to hosting a collaborative painting party, these activities are designed to spark joy and deepen connections.

While beneficial to all, the CreativityHub is especially impactful for older adults, young adults, employees in high-stress environments, and all those facing marginalizing circumstances such as chronic illness, social isolation, or modernity itself.

Why the Arts?

Arts-based programs are increasingly recognized as effective modalities to help people engage and connect. Research has confirmed that individuals who pursue creativity and self-expression through the arts see improvements in their emotional health, social connectedness, and overall well-being.

That shouldn’t surprise us. Creative expression allows the unconscious to become conscious, increasing our self-awareness and deepening our knowledge of who we are and what matters to us. And when we share our creative works with others, we build meaningful social connections by allowing aspects of who we are to be safely revealed. The arts also help us make sense of the world, allowing us to better navigate daily challenges, forge better connections with others, and—critically—enjoy the vitality of a positive perspective on the social world around us.

The CreativityHub was developed by the Foundation for Art & Healing, which has more than 20 years of experience partnering with expressive arts experts, psychologists and others to build and deliver research-based creative art programs and interventions that are currently being used by hundreds of community-based organizations. This new toolkit captures and integrates that knowledge and expertise into activations specifically designed for direct use by the public, either individually or in small groups.

Why Act Now?

Today, nearly half of all Americans report feeling lonely, increasing the risk of mental illness, physical illnesses, and premature death. This represents a significant public health threat – chronic loneliness has the same negative health impacts as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, increasing heart attack and stroke, or death from either, by 30%. It also increases the risk of dementia, diabetes, and cancer. It doesn’t have to be this way.

The CreativityHub is a scalable activity that is free and accessible to anyone with an internet connection. The CreativityHub provides a fun way to engage in artistic self-expression through simple prompts that are easy to complete, with no previous creative experience or skills needed. It gives people a sense of achievement, helps them develop meaningful connections, and improves their ability to deal with stress and adversity.

The multi-faceted challenges of uncertain times can drive people apart, leading to social isolation and loneliness. Through the arts, we can help individuals create and express their way out of loneliness, build deeper social connections, and enhance their mental and physical well-being.