Arts & Wellness Retreat Friday, Saturday at Pitt-Johnstown
May 9—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Through music there is healing.
The Arts & Wellness Retreat with Jim Donovan and Rachel Allen will be held Friday and Saturday at the Wellness Center on the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown campus in Richland Township.
The event is designed to showcase the healing potential of music, movement, mindfulness and drumming.
"We have been contacted by community groups who have asked what they can do on campus to involve the community in the arts and wellness vein," said Janie Grela, executive director the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center. "There have been programs in the past, but we're trying to make things a little more cohesive and regular. We hope to make some sort of arts and wellness gathering an annual event, and this is the first venture into that."
Donovan performs with his band The Sun King Warriors, and was a founding member of the three-time platinum band Rusted Root.
He specializes in placing music and wellness programs in organizations that focus on people with disabilities and those recovering from addiction.
Allen is a certified music practitioner, and is known regionally, nationally and internationally for weaving live music, yoga and creative movement into themes of compassion, self-acceptance and transformation.
"We're giving people the invitation to experience music as wellness, and that's something that Jim and I are both deeply rooted in," Allen said. "This event can be relevant for anyone who wants to bring music into their lives in terms of wellness support, and there's a lot of applications for the work that Jim and I do and bringing that into the setting at UPJ."
The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. Friday with a reception, followed by a welcome address by Jem Spectar, Pitt-Johnstown president.
At 7 p.m., Donovan will lead "Drumming: Music and Mindfulness Self-Care Strategies" sessions.
At 8 a.m. Saturday, breakfast will be served.
Allen will present "Mindful Movement, Music and Meditation: Embodied Practices to Cultivate Resilience" at 9 a.m.
"Anytime you're in a space with people and co-creating something together that's not based on performance but based on your experience as a participant, I find these things build social cohesion and connection between people as well as the individual takeaways on using music, sound and movement for wellness," Allen said.
Participants are encouraged to bring a drum, but they will be provided.
"I hope people will have some takeaways that are impactful to their lives and it helps them to understand how the arts are a part of our well-being and can be a tool in communication, expression and connecting with others," Grela said. "We're all caregivers, even of ourselves, so it's important to take a moment and reflect and find ways to reduce stress and have balance in your life."
The retreat is supported by the Pennsylvania Rural Arts Alliance and the 1889 Foundation.
Cost is $40 per person.
To register and for complete schedule of events, visit www.upjarts.org.
