Community art workshops where those affected by personal mental health struggles or loss of a loved one due to mental health stresses will build life-size lantern figures
PHILADELPHIA - The Irish Diaspora Center of Philadelphia (IDC) will host the inaugural “Lights in the Darkness” community workshop program throughout September with a final exhibit on September 22, 2022.
Lights in the Darkness project, sponsored by the IDC, is designed to raise awareness, spark the conversation, and reduce the stigma of mental health issues that lead to suicidality. The project responds to those needs in significant and highly visible ways. The goals of this program are to:
• bring a voice to the epidemic of suicide and reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues, including depression, addiction, grief, and suicidality
• offer a therapeutic art project and community of support to those affected by suicide through sculpture build and display of the community of lantern figures
• raise funds for mental health programs in the community
“This project has been a dream of ours for the last two years and I’m thrilled that the IDC can bring it to life now with the help of our tremendous partners. Coming through COVID, we’ve seen a large increase in mental health needs throughout all communities. This epidemic impacts people from every walk of life and our project helps all create a community of support,” says Emily Norton Ashinhurst, Executive Director of the Irish Diaspora Center.
Workshops for the project are taking place all over the Philadelphia area including Havertown, Gladwyne, Yardley, Downingtown, Jenkintown, and Claymont, DE. With the final exhibit taking place at Dilworth Park at Philadelphia City Hall, all of the five counties are included. Workshop partners are vital, and we are grateful to all who have given us space to bring this important project to all areas of the Philadelphia community.
St. Christopher’s Church in Gladwyne, PA is one of those locations. The Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining stated, “Being able to lift others through the Lights in the Darkness project is meaningful to our congregation. Mental health illness affects everyone, regardless of religion, race, gender, or other metrics that can be used to separate us these days. Some of our parishioners experience mental health struggles firsthand and to be able to offer this project as an outlet is powerful”
Lights in the Darkness is for all affected by mental health illness, whether their own or a loved one’s struggle. Participants will work with artist Tom Meskell to create life-size, wire sculptures covered in paper and varnish, and lit from within. The sculptures will then be installed for a public ceremony and exhibit scheduled for Thursday, September 22, 2022, to coincide with Suicide Awareness Month. The exhibit is set to take place at Dilworth Park at Philadelphia’s City Hall. It will display more than 100 life-size lantern figures to light the night and create an emotionally powerful exhibition.
For more information, visit icphila.org/lights-in-the-darkness
