Art Therapy emerged as a profession in the 1960s in both Europe and the USA. in response to a need for a deeper register of expression. It is woven of threads from Modern Art. Outsider Art and Art Education as well as Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy. Today it is practiced in an ever-growing variety of settings on either a 1:1 basis or in multiple group formats. For three decades now the Cork Art Therapy Summer School has welcomed up to sixty participants annually, providing them with a unique opportunity to learn about and experience the Art Therapy process.
Participants are offered the chance to explore the therapeutic potential of art through themed experiential workshops. A series of related lectures during the week provide a context for the current practice of Art Therapy. Participants have the option (if they meet the academic requirements) to register and take this course as a Level 9 5-credit module. There is an additional registration fee and assignments with this option. For some this Summer School may be the first steps on the road to a career in Art Therapy. For others it may be an opportunity to re-engage with their creative identity. For trainee and qualified Therapists, it may provide continuing professional development.
Every year this course, with its intensive workshop and lecture series, proves to be an invaluable personal encounter, whatever one's motivation for attending. We are particularly honoured in this our 30th year to welcome a keynote speaker, lecturers and facilitators who help us touch base with the roots of Art Therapy history both here and in the USA. as well as connecting us to comtemporary practice.
