Cambridge Arts for Health
MAPC’s Arts and Culture, Public Health, and Community Engagement teams are partnering with Cambridge's Public Health Department to use art to engage residents around the city's Community Health Implementation Plan (CHIP).
The city is partnering with artists to create creative, safe, accessible and culturally inclusive opportunities for residents to learn about the plan's three priority areas: Community and Social Resilience, Healthy Eating and Active Living, and Mental Health, with a cross-cutting emphasis on health and racial equity.
MAPC’s Arts and Culture, Public Health, and Community Engagement teams are partnering with Cambridge's Public Health Department to use art to engage residents around the city's Community Health Implementation Plan (CHIP).
The city is partnering with artists to create creative, safe, accessible and culturally inclusive opportunities for residents to learn about the plan's three priority areas: Community and Social Resilience, Healthy Eating and Active Living, and Mental Health, with a cross-cutting emphasis on health and racial equity.
Our Artists
A series of performances took place in fall 2021.
Isaura de Oliveira and Akili James brought performances to the Port involving live music, dance, audience interaction, video, games and informal conversation in the spirit of a special Brazilian celebration called “Mesa de Caboclo.” They invited participants into gentle movement, game show- style health trivia, and informal conversations.
Yosi Karahashi offered three flamenco performances to older adults in Cambridge. At these free events, participants experienced “a moment full of joy” by making music of their own through rhythmic clapping, footwork, and body movements. A video with additional lessons was shared with participants to practice at home. Performances took place at Neville Place, The Cambridge Homes, and the Citywide Senior Center in October and November.
Yung-Chi Sung shared the practice of Chinese calligraphy and Tai Chi through a series of online and in-person workshops. In the face-to-face workshops, participants used their arms and body as the brush pen to write Chinese characters and practice Tai Chi. Online workshops taught participants calligraphy and appreciation of the Chinese language, writing, and culture.
Project Context
Being a healthy city is about more than delivering quality health care to residents. Where you live, learn, work, and play all have an enormous impact on your health.
The Cambridge Public Health Department (CPHD) continues work to better understand the health needs of the community and develop programs and policies to address these needs.
Being a healthy city is about more than delivering quality health care to residents. Where you live, learn, work, and play all have an enormous impact on your health.
The Cambridge Public Health Department (CPHD) continues work to better understand the health needs of the community and develop programs and policies to address these needs.
In December 2019, the CPHD completed its most recent iteration of the Community Health Assessment. The assessment reflects the most current data available for Cambridge on overweight and obesity, substance abuse, chronic illness, access to health care, and many other health topics. The report also looks at social, economic, and environmental issues that impact health. To read the complete report, click here.
The Community Health Implementation Plan (CHIP) addresses the most challenging public health issues facing Cambridge, as identified by the CHA. These priorities have been identified as:
- Mental health
- Community and Social Resilience
- Healthy eating and physical activity
Each integrates a theme of health equity and racism and is receiving the attention of a dedicated working group.
To learn more about the assessment and improvement plan, and to see how to get involved, please visit the Cambridge Public Health Department’s website.
The 2021 Community Health Implementation Plan
The 2021 CHIP provides actionable goals, objectives, and strategies for making tangible progress in three health priority areas for the city:
MAPC
Over the five-year period of the CHIP, MAPC will be working with the City of Cambridge’s Public Health Department to support engagement with residents and organizations and assist with evaluation of CHIP implementation.
Call for Artists: May to June 2021
MAPC and the Cambridge Public Health Department (CPHD) released the Call for Art on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. The deadline to apply was June 8, 2021.
The Call sought artists, designers, and creatives propose creative frameworks for community engagement around public health in the media of their choice.