NYC Health + Hospitals today launched Bringing It Back: The Impact of Creative Arts Therapy at Rikers & Beyond, an unprecedented public exhibition that explores the transformative power of creative arts therapy within New York City’s jail facilities, including Rikers Island.

This groundbreaking showcase offers an intimate view into the rehabilitative power of dance, movement, and music therapy for those in custody, marking the first time such recordings have been made available to the public.

Bringing It Back features video footage and photographs documenting arts therapy sessions inside NYC jail facilities, alongside original artwork, music, and written compositions by program participants.

This is part of the Creative Arts Therapy program run by NYC Health + Hospitals/Correctional Health Services (CHS), the nation’s oldest and largest jail-based arts therapy initiative.

“This exhibition is a rare opportunity to witness the profound impact of creative arts therapy on individuals in custody, providing them a constructive outlet for self-expression and healing,” said a representative of NYC Health + Hospitals.

The exhibition is further enriched by selections from NYC Health + Hospitals’ extensive Arts in Medicine collection, offering a broader look at the role of the arts in fostering mental health and resilience.

Funding for Bringing It Back is provided by the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, a foundation dedicated to enhancing access and opportunity for all New Yorkers and cultivating healthier, more vibrant communities.