Creative Care: A Resource for Artists Working in Humanitarian Contexts

Introduction

The arts have long served as a powerful means of expression, healing, and connection—especially in times of crisis. Recognized as a fundamental human right, artistic engagement can promote mental health and community wellbeing during and following emergencies such as conflict, natural disasters, epidemics, and displacement.

Creative Care is a practical guide for artists—especially those without formal training in creative arts therapies or psychosocial support—who wish to offer meaningful, art-based activities in humanitarian settings. From storytelling and theatre to drumming, circus, and song, the guide outlines how creative practices can support individuals and communities across all phases of humanitarian care: preparedness, response, and recovery.

Grounded in principles of safety, cultural humility, and collaboration, this resource offers step-by-step guidance on designing inclusive and ethical arts initiatives that foster resilience, social connection, and emotional wellbeing. It also complements existing frameworks for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) by recognizing the unique role artists can play in supporting care without replacing clinical professionals.

Scope 

Inside the guide, readers will find six practical modules covering ethics, program design, facilitation, emotional care, self-care, and organizational support. It also features real-world case stories from diverse global contexts and offers tools for trauma-informed and community-centered creative engagement. This resource is designed for local artists supporting their own communities, visiting or international artists working in humanitarian settings, community organizations integrating the arts into psychosocial care, and humanitarian agencies partnering with artists to promote wellbeing in crisis-affected populations.

Insights and Deliverables

• A downloadable field resource for artists working in humanitarian contexts co-branded translated into a selection of global majority languages, is estimated to be complete in August 2025.

Project Team

Led by Nisha Sajnani (NYU Steinhardt), Mauricio Salgado (NYU Tisch), and Julia Puebla Fortier, the research team consists of members from the Jameel Arts & Health Lab, Arts & Health South West (UK), Arts in Medicine Projects, First People’s Fund, Foundation for Arts & Health India, Ikiringo Africa Culture Hub, ImaginAction, Khon Kaen University, Kia Mau Festival, Lund University, Masar Theatre, Rooftop Theatre, Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy, Waipapa Taumata.

Acknowledgements

This resource is the result of collaboration with 290 artists and researchers including six rounds of formal consultations and monthly calls with 18 collaborators from each WHO region including artists from the Anishinaabe and Oneida Nations and the Māori community. 272 people from 15 countries and 12 Indigenous Nations who identified themselves as artists, documentarians, arts therapists, public health practitioners, and researchers, participated in local consultation processes. We wish to thank our collaborators Molly Mullen, Dolina Wehipeihana, and Anita Jensen and the reviewers who gave their time to provide feedback on this resource: Joy Allen, Brydie-Leigh Bartleet, Mary Bitel, Sofia Casas, Jan Cohen-Cruz, Carlos A. Chirinos Espin, Jessica Hecht, Rand Hazou, Maimouna Jallow, Vicky Karkou, Matt McCrary, Helen Nicholson, Florence Nweke, Bill O’Brien, Veronika Skliarova, James Thompson, Maura Tierney, and Alexandra Zaslav.

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