Open Studio as a therapeutic model: Responding to the needs of inner-city Johannesburg children
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Keywords
community art counselling, Open studio
Abstract
Children from Johannesburg’s inner city live in a context of multiple forms of violence, where the capacity of parents to provide safety, containment and emotional processing is severely compromised. Lefika La Phodiso Community Art Counselling Training (Lefika) is located on the edge of the inner city and facilitates an open studio arts-based programme, which aims to responsively meet the psychosocial needs of the children who attend. This research aimed to gain insight into how Lefika’s open studio may contribute to creating a sustainable city for Johannesburg’s inner city children, with the participation of children as co-researchers in the project. Utilising a qualitative approach, and a participatory action framework, within the art therapy principles and practice of the open studio model, data collection included meaningful discussions of participant experiences. Data analysis and interpretation was done collaboratively with participants using thematic analysis. Children’s community experiences highlighted that Johannesburg’s inner city is no place for children, who consequently seek out safe spaces where they can play, be with their friends and have access to caring adults. Within this context, Lefika’s open studio is responsive to participants’ needs, promoting experiences of psychosocial well-being. Lefika’s Open Studio model is of inherent value to participants, offering them the opportunity to resist the limitations posed by their inner city environment. The findings confirm the applicability of the open studio model to inner city children and the authors advocate for widespread replicability of the programme with children.
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Sheri Errington, University of Johannesburg
Sheri is a Research Psychologist, registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa since 2005, she has a Masters Degree in Research Psychology from The University of the Witwatersrand, and is a Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg’s Centre for Social Development. Sheri is the Director of a non-profit organisation called Fight with Insight, an open access boxing gym for inner city children based in Johannesburg and she runs a research consultancy called Social Perspectives, which provides research, monitoring and evaluation solutions to non-profit organisations working with children and young people.
Kate Shand, University of the Witwatersrand
Kate is an art therapist (HPCSA registered) who qualified amongst the first cohort of students to study art therapy in South Africa. Kate has facilitated many creative group processes over the years, with adults and children. She regularly hosts ‘Making Healing Dolls’ workshops along with drama therapist, Rozanne Myburgh . She runs a pottery teaching studio in Johannesburg. Kate is also a community art counsellor trainer and University of the Witwatersrand research associate, where she is running a project with migrant children called ‘The Meaning of Home’. She is a part-time lecturer on the University of Johannesburg’s Art Therapy programme.
Rozanne Muburgh, University of Johannesburg
Rozanne is an HPCSA registered arts therapist specialising in Drama Therapy. She has an MA in Drama therapy, with distinction at the University of Witwatersrand‘s Drama For Life, and is also a qualified Expressive Movement Facilitator and a Circle of Security Parenting facilitator. Rozanne is currently the managing director at Lefika La Phodiso Community Art Counselling, and a part-time lecturer on the University of Johannesburg’s art therapy programme. Her previous work experience in the media industry includes graphic design, journalism, photography, web design and she was an art director and digital editor at Caxton magazines.