Fostering Inclusion and Well-Being Through the Arts: A Teaching Artist’s Perspective

This article shares the personal journey of a teaching artist who uses the arts to foster inclusion and support youth mental health in diverse school settings across Québec. A pivotal experience in a remote community affected by trauma revealed how collaborative art-making—specifically a student-led podcast—can become a safe and creative outlet for students. The author emphasizes the power of offering students choice, recognizing individual strengths, and using the inherently collaborative nature of the arts to promote engagement and connection. The piece also highlights the Arts and Youth Mental Health podcast (by ELAN ArtEd) as a resource to help teaching artists better understand and respond to students’ emotional and social needs.