Integrating Arts, Spirituality and Transformative Learning towards Wellbeing

This paper captures opportunities and challenges of how an expanded understanding of EcCoWell has practical implications for community recovery and renewal and engaging a “dream deferred”.

Arts, spirituality and transformative learning integrated into a holistic EcCoWell 2 learning neighbourhood approach can contribute to the work of building a resilient, sustainable and hopeful future. Examples of a comparative case study in Philadelphia and New York City and the Walls-Ortiz Gallery and Center in Harlem (NYC) point to the significance of a broader, more global understanding of wellbeing that includes emotive, embodied, artistic and spiritual aspects.

Happiness and thriving within spiritual praxis are not the same, but can both be helpful to frame a process of transformative learning towards resiliency.