Healing Arts is a global campaign by the Jameel Arts & Health Lab in collaboration with the World Health Organization
Wednesday 24 September 2025 | 6PM Hetrick Martin Institute, 2 Astor Place, Manhattan, 10003
An interactive workshop exploring how the ballroom community is a vital “shared stage” where identity, creativity, and well-being intersect.
The Kiki Ballroom scene is a celebration of creativity, resilience, and community. More than performance, it offers a safe space where LGBTQ+ youth of color express themselves freely, build connection, and find healing.
This interactive event invites participants to experience how movement, dance, and performance in ballroom culture support emotional well-being. Through guided activities, we will explore how the runway and voguing spaces reflect daily life while also creating possibilities for joy, resilience, and transformation.
We will share insights from community surveys that highlight both the strengths of ballroom as a supportive environment and the challenges many young people face in accessing traditional mental health services. Participants will also learn about innovative approaches that weave mental health support into creative spaces, recognizing that artistry and healing thrive together.
By the end, attendees will gain a deeper appreciation for ballroom as more than performance. It is a powerful stage for identity, connection, and collective healing.
The Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI) creates an environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) youth between the ages of 13 and 24 and their families.
Through a comprehensive package of direct services and referrals, HMI seeks to foster healthy youth development. HMI’s staff promotes excellence in the delivery of youth services and uses its expertise to create innovative programs that other organizations may use as models.
