Expressive Arts for Newcomer Survivors of Gender Based Domestic Violence

Authors:
Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services (Access Alliance)

Location:
Toronto, Canada

Context:
Access Alliance, with funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), implemented the Hubs of Expressive Arts for Life (HEAL) Project—an expressive arts–based research initiative designed to collect, analyze, and share data on newcomer mental health. This study focused on newcomer women who are survivors of gender-based domestic violence. The research aimed to address two questions:

• What expressive arts models are effective in improving the mental health and wellbeing of newcomer women survivors of domestic violence?
• Once identified, how can these models be scaled or adapted for other communities with experiences of trauma?

The project was conducted between April 2022 and March 2026 and implemented across six newcomer communities: Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, Tigrinya, 2SLGBTQ+, and women with shelter experiences. Using a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data with arts-based qualitative methods, the study gathered responses from 52 participants living across the Greater Toronto Area.

Participants engaged in a range of expressive arts modalities, including movement and dance ribbons, storytelling, clay and plasticine work, painting, visual arts, collage, music making, and culturally grounded artistic practices. Each cohort included 6–12 participants who took part in a 12-session program facilitated by a team consisting of an expressive arts therapist, a peer researcher, and a diverse group of practitioners, volunteers, and students.

Findings: The project showed measurable impact across individual, organizational, and system levels, demonstrating how culturally grounded expressive arts can support trauma- and violence-informed health promotion for newcomer families.

• Individual and Interpersonal Outcomes (micro level): Participants increased self-efficacy, emotional regulation, empowerment, and help-seeking skills through culturally tailored expressive arts activities. Participants gained knowledge on human rights, healthy relationships, and empowerment self-defence. Many continue to use movement, music, and arts-based practices after the program, strengthening personal skills.
• Organizational and Community Capacity (meso level): The project strengthened organizations’ capacity to deliver culturally responsive, trauma- and violence-informed expressive arts programs. Integrating artists into care teams improved participant engagement and culturally grounded support. Practical supports, such as interpretation, child-minding, and transportation, enhanced access and retention, while cross-sector partnerships helped integrate services and contributed to outcomes like housing stability, legal awareness, and greater social inclusion.
• Systems and Policy Change (macro level): The project informed Canada’s gender-based violence strategy by providing evidence on culturally grounded, arts-based mental health supports through national policy briefs and intersectoral dialogues. Findings demonstrated that expressive arts offer a low-barrier, scalable approach to trauma recovery for newcomer communities and reinforced the need for sustained public investment through ongoing federal and provincial policy discussions shaping implementation priorities and long-term monitoring frameworks and accountability mechanisms aligned with objectives.

How does this research apply to my work? This research provides practical guidance for anyone working in trauma- and violence-informed care, newcomer mental health, or arts-based programming.

• Improving Trauma-Informed Practice: The findings show that culturally grounded expressive arts can enhance emotional safety, empowerment, and choice. These approaches are especially helpful for participants facing language or cultural barriers.
• Supporting Integrated, Interdisciplinary Care: The HEAL model demonstrates how artists and facilitators are some of the most important health workers of our time. Integrating artists as part of the interprofessional team is an approach to holistic care for newcomer individuals and communities, useful example to enhance team-based, community-centered care.
• Guiding Policy and System Collaboration: The research reinforces the importance of low-barrier, culturally relevant mental health supports and a coordinated service. Linking mental health improvements to broader needs, such as housing stability, legal support, and social inclusion, can advance health equity and inform GBV-prevention strategies.

What should I take away from this research?

Arts-based approaches to mental health and trauma recovery for newcomers experiencing gender-based domestic violence (GBDV) are both accessible and effective. Building staff and organizational capacity in arts integration is essential for providing culturally relevant, destigmatizing alternatives to traditional mental health services. Sustaining this work also requires recognizing artists as key members of interprofessional healthcare and settlement teams. Findings highlight the need to expand GBDV programming to include families, men, boys, and whole communities, acknowledging that intergenerational trauma requires a more inclusive approach.