Health Arts Society was founded in the first days of 2006 to meet the clear need for live professional arts programs for people in health care sites.  The largest audiences in health care for arts programs are found in residences for elders.  Many of these people will be unable to access live music or theatre arts for the rest of their lives.  Most public health authorities do not have mandated standards or budgets for providing quality of life programs for people living in chronic care residences.  Occupational therapy and recreation staff make valiant efforts to provide programs but the cost of them is stripped from already pressed operating budgets.  Health Arts Society wants to see this situation change, and the ArtsWay program of Health Arts Society is an agent of that change.     

 (Photo: Yukiko Onley)

ArtsWay programs are also presented in mental health sites.  The neurological benefits of music are becoming better known.  A research project is to be undertaken with the participation of Health Arts Society by the Institute of Mental Health at the University of British Columbia and Provincial Health Services Authority.  This research will help to identify and describe more precisely the outcomes of the ArtsWay program.
  
Health Arts Society presented over 200 events under the ArtsWay banner in 2006 and over 600 in 2007 & 2008.  In 2009 over 1,000 ArtsWay events were presented throughout British Columbia.

Health Arts Society
Honourary Patrons: Jane Coop, Stephen M Drance OC MD, Tania Miller, Bramwell Tovey, Suzie LeBlanc
Board of Directors: Bruce Wright, President; Dr. Inna Vlassev, Vice President; John Macfarlane CA, Treasurer; Sylvia L’Ecuyer, Secretary; Christopher Gaze, George Laverock
Advisory Board: Roberta Beiser, Dr. John H.V. Gilbert, Judy Kirk, Dr. Beverly Spring, Max Wyman

Founder, Executive and Artistic Director:  David Lemon
General Manager:  Raymond Aucoin
Director of Development:  Jennifer Passas
Administration:  Karen Taylor

telephone:  604.731.4552
email:   d.lemon@healtharts.org

David Lemon
David Lemon founded Health Arts Society in 2006.  During his years in the maritime insurance business (1964-1997) Lemon was an active supporter of arts practices and a member of many boards of arts organisations.  He was also owner of The Magic Flute CD store from 1992 to 2004.  UBC conferred an Honourary Doctor of Laws on Lemon in 1997 and he was the recipient of the Edmund C.Bovey award in 1996.  Health Arts Society was inspired by Lemon’s observations of family and friends’ experiences of life in long-term residential care.

 Registered Charity # 81014 0749 RR0001