What We Plan to Do
The Art of Creation
By combining the arts with science, the Art of Creation creates approachable opportunities for our community to discuss the biology of a healthy start to life in the form of a public art exhibition. By fostering discussions amongst the public, policy makers, and social and healthcare workers about the importance of investing in and supporting people that are pregnant and those intending on becoming pregnant, we hope to improve the health and well being of our communities.
01
Use art to raise awareness about the importance of health before and during pregnancy
02
To motivate and empower pregnant individuals, their partners, supports, and community leaders to support healthy environments for parents before and during pregnancy
03
Establish a role for cultural institutions in science, health education, research, & health policy
Our Goals
Learn About the Needs of Our Community
We'll talk to community members that work with pregnant individuals and/or are members of the arts community. We hope they will tell us about what they think about teaching science through art and how we can use this tool to educate our community. We will also have a committee of community members who will offer their advice and input on our project plans.
Learn About the Impact of Art-based Workshops
We'll ask pregnant individuals to join our art-based workshops where we'll chat about why it's important to be healthy before and during pregnancy. At the same time, art teachers will lead engaging art activities. We hope pregnant individuals will develop a support system amongst each other. We will also be engaging with men and partners who want to become parents in art-based workshops. Here, art will also help facilitate conversations about how their health could impact the health of their future baby.
Create an Art Exhibition That Will Teach the Public About Early Origins Science
In Ontario, artists will come to the Sloboda Lab at McMaster University to learn about the science behind development. They will create art for our travelling art exhibition that will teach visitors about how their health before and during pregnancy changes the course of health and disease risk for future generations.
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In New Brunswick, we will showcase the work created in our art-based workshops. This exhibition will highlight the importance of pregnant individuals’ support partners and how their health before and during pregnancy also changes the health and disease risk for future generations.
Research
Throughout this process, we'll learn about the needs of our community, the effectiveness of teaching science through art, the community's engagement with our exhibition, and how our exhibition impacts the public's awareness and understanding of the importance of supporting those who are pregnant and intending on becoming pregnant, and their partners.​
Apply our Research
We’ll share our findings with health educators so we can inform how we can share scientific information with the public in the future.