Queens Public Library hosts exhibition for artists with mental illness

The exhibition kicks off with an artists’ reception from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on April 25. Photo courtesy of the QPL.

By David Brand

The Queens Public Library will host a special art exhibition featuring the work of artists with mental health issues in partnership with the organization Community Access.

Community Access' Art Collective has produced the exhibition “Lived Experiences, responding to the world we live in, dream of and wish to occupy" to showcase the work of people with mental illness at the Central Library in Jamaica. The Art Collective provides opportunities for members to enhance their sense of identity, meaning and purpose through art.

“Art is a great connector — and the creative process helps us to learn from our experiences, engage more fully with our surroundings and to heal,” Community Access said in a statement.

The Art Collective also offers free instruction, studio space, workshops and resources to enable artists to display and sell their work.

The exhibition kicks off with an artists’ reception from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on April 25. It will remain on view through May 5. QPL’s Central Library is located at 89-11 Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica.