Timothy Chapman
04/03/2023
UT Health RGV is using a program called Vida Saludable, a healthy lifestyle campaign that showcases local artists and their talents with the goal to promote health and wellbeing.
On April 15, the artists of Vida Saludable will be showcasing their art at the UT Health RGV AHEC Health Education and Promotion Pachanga in San Carlos, presented by Hidalgo County Precinct 4 and Ellie Torres and also sponsored by the UTRGV Center for Latin American Arts.
Program specialist for the South Texas Health Disparities Project Amanda Garcia said she came up with the idea of using fine arts to educate people on health care.
“Part of the inspiration from Vida Saludable was to provide more access to individuals who may not have access to healthcare. So teaching, using art to inform by utilizing health education in art form,” Garcia said.
She listed some future events that Vida Saludable will be incorporated in.
“In July 2024 we’re going to have a community wide city festival where we are going to be incorporating Vida Saludable so there will be more opportunities in the future with Edinburg art and wellness, and will also be displaying some artwork at the Edinburg cultural arts center,” Garcia said.
Director of the Center for Latin American Arts and an Associate Professor at the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley Ph.D Katherine McAllen said she was really excited about Amanda’s vision to connect wellness and access to medical care and wellness education with the arts.
“I really believe that art has the power to connect people across disciplines, and art is a shared thing that everyone can enjoy. Everyone loves to go to a concert to listen to different types of music, to paint and draw or even just look at other artists’ paintings and drawings,” McAllen said.
She said she knows the artists who showcase their artwork for Vida Saludable such as Ph.D Kathy Bussert-Webb and Adilene Rosales whose art practice focuses on raising awareness about health.
“Adilene Rosales is a ceramicist and her work focuses on showing images of children who are struggling with cancer and to help educate about the importance of being aware of the growing numbers of children with cancer and then also to provide hope and through her art practice she creates sculptures that try to help other people struggling with cancer with their children,” McAllen said.
For more information about The UTRGV Center for Latin American Arts you can visit their website utrgv.edu
To submit your art for Vida Saludable you can visit the link below click here
