The Royal is home to one of Ottawa’s newest artist collectives. ARTinFOCUS is a new social enterprise by artists in The Royal’s Forensic Outpatient Program.
“It’s a great example of how interprofessional teams can work with patients to create something really cool,” says Lori McGuire, a vocational rehabilitation therapist at The Royal.
Many patients at The Royal participate in recreation therapy, which includes a photography group where they can learn how to use a camera, how to make a composition, and creative photography techniques. The new collective is a way to bring together recreation therapy and job skills in a valuable way.
“ARTinFOCUS is a place where those who’ve developed skills and an interest in visual art through recreation therapy groups can come together and learn skills on how to market, sell, and benefit directly through their art. They build skillsets, and also generate a small income,” says McGuire.
The collective provides foundational skills that will serve its members well in future pursuits, artistic or otherwise, including sales, customer service and client relations, product development, money management, and marketing.
ARTinFOCUS received start-up funding through The Royal’s Foundation. It currently has four members, and will continue to grow. The artists have begun selling their work within The Royal, and will over time participate in events in the larger community. Currently, the collective is looking to partner with local retailers interested in selling greeting card collections and other ARTinFOCUS products.