Darkness RISING Project
Program: Arts in Health
Area of Work: Arts
Grant Purpose: Music & Mental Health Workshop Series
Overview:
Darkness RISING Project’s mission is to provide direct mental health resources to the Black community. They partner with mental health providers, educators, and Black performers from the Broadway community to create events that help reduce stigma, seminars, workshops, and direct resources where the intersection between mental health education and the arts collides.
Stigma around mental health is rampant in the Black Community, making it difficult for individuals needing services to seek them. In addition, finding a Black therapist in poor neighborhoods, and having the financial resources to access mental health services can be difficult.
Grant:
Purpose: To support their Music & Mental Health Workshop Series.
The series seeks to reduce the stigmatization surrounding mental health through live music performances and facilitated discussions. Participants have direct access to a mental health educator of color and are provided with resources, tools, and the opportunity to address any concerns.
Impact:
In 2023, Darkness RISING: Live 6 events were held on August 19th at Adam Clayton Powell Plaza in Harlem (540 attendees), August 25 at Restoration Plaza in BedStuy, Brooklyn (150 attendees), and August 27 at CultureLab in Queens (300 attendees). These inspirational concert events featured Broadway artists from the Black community, a 4-piece band, Black mental health providers as our guest speakers, free mental health resources, vendors, food, giveaways, yoga + meditation class, African dance classes, and messages of hope for intersectional communities regarding mental health. More than 9,000 engaged virtually with Darkness RISING: Live 6, including nearly 500 downloads of the Black Mental Health Resource Packet and 260 access points to Findmeatherapist.org.
