New Hampshire Theatre Project
provides a welcoming environment for youth, artists, and community members to experience self-discovery and growth through the art and process of theatre.
Watch a video of our story
provides a welcoming environment for youth, artists, and community members to experience self-discovery and growth through the art and process of theatre.
Watch a video of our storyAugust 12, 2021
It's official! New Hampshire Theatre Project is the proud recipient of the 2021 Governor's Arts Award for Arts in Health, as well as a 2021 Arts in Health Grant from the NH State Council on the Arts for the Elephant-in-the-Room Series®!
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This Arts in Health Award recognizes a New Hampshire nonprofit organization for providing increased access to the arts for people in healthcare settings and/or with physical, mental or emotional disabilities. Access can include adapting the presentation of art-making, art exhibits, musical performances, and theatrical productions to support an environment of healing. Now in its fifth year, NHTP’s Elephant-in-the-Room Series® presents playreadings and community conversations about subjects that we as a society often have difficulty discussing. Additional topics have included Suicide Risk in Adults, Eating Disorders, School Safety and Human Trafficking.
The NH State Council on the Arts in Health project grants support arts activities that provide a public health benefit in New Hampshire communities as a primary focus of the project. The goals of the this grant are to utilize the arts to generate awareness of social and structural determinants of health; encourage and promote health as a topic of public discourse; promote the arts and artists as partners in health-related strategies; and to build healthy communities for all New Hampshire citizens.
NHTP will use part of the funding to provide formal training in facilitating difficult conversations to NHTP artists. This investment in training will deepen and expand the EITR program, engaging artists for broader statewide impact. Trained NHTP artist facilitators will be able to create a safe space for community dialogue following live, live streamed or filmed play readings, and they will also be able to assist healthcare, social service and community organizations to train their own facilitators.
NHTP will also work with the UNH Social Work Department to develop a formal methodology to evaluate the specific effects and outcomes of the Elephant-in-the-Room Series® model. Although NHTP has collected a large amount of anecdotal evidence over the past four years, assessing measurable impact has been a challenge and this grant is an important step forward.
You can learn more about the Elephant-in-the-Room Series® HERE.
