Art Mentoring vs Art Therapy | Leah Justyce Art Gallery

What Makes Leah Justyce Art Gallery’s Art Mentor Programs Different from Art Therapy

At Leah Justyce Art Gallery, we believe art has the power to transform lives — not through therapy, but through education, empowerment, and opportunity. Our Art Mentor Programs were created to help people with disabilities develop real-world creative skills, build confidence, and gain pathways to employment in the arts industry.

While art therapy and art mentoring both use creativity as a tool for growth, their goals and outcomes are very different. Here’s how.

🎨 Art Mentoring is About Building Skills and Careers

Art mentoring focuses on learning, creating, and growing professionally. Participants are guided by professional working artists who teach artistic techniques, business knowledge, and creative processes.

Our mentors share the lessons they’ve learned from years in the art world — how to price and sell artwork, how to market it online, how to find your own artistic style, and how to develop the discipline it takes to turn creativity into a sustainable career.

Each session is structured around skill development and personal growth, not therapy outcomes. Participants leave with something tangible: new techniques, finished pieces, and a stronger sense of identity as an artist.

💬 Art Therapy Focuses on Emotional Healing

Art therapy, on the other hand, is a clinical practice facilitated by a trained therapist. It uses art as a tool to process emotions, manage trauma, or support mental health goals.

While art therapy can be incredibly valuable, it’s not what our programs offer. We’re not counsellors — we’re artists. Our purpose is to mentor, inspire, and equip participants with the creative and professional tools they need to succeed in the arts.

🌟 Empowerment Over Treatment

The foundation of our Art Mentor Programs is empowerment. We believe people with disabilities should have the same access to education, training, and employment opportunities as anyone else — especially within the arts.

Our sessions are built to encourage independence, confidence, and self-expression. We focus on helping participants find their own voice and vision, whether that means becoming a professional painter, a circus performer, a fine art photographer, or an illustrator whose work tells powerful stories about their life experiences.

🤝 Mentors Who Understand and Inspire

Each mentor in the Leah Justyce Art Gallery team is a professional artist in their field — not a therapist. They know the realities of the industry and how to navigate them.

This real-world experience is what makes our program so unique. Mentors teach not only how to create, but how to think like an artist, build a portfolio, and even find opportunities to exhibit or sell their work. It’s about opening doors and creating futures.

🌈 A Pathway

For many participants, our art mentoring sessions are the first step toward something bigger — independence, employment, or creative entrepreneurship. We see potential in every participant and work to nurture that potential with patience, encouragement, and guidance.

By giving people with disabilities access to high-level artistic mentorship, we’re creating a ripple effect — empowering individuals to contribute their creativity, perspectives, and talent to the broader arts community.

💫 In Summary: Art Mentoring vs. Art Therapy

✨ Redefining What’s Possible

At Leah Justyce Art Gallery, we’re not providing therapy — we’re creating opportunity. Our Art Mentor Programs are redefining what inclusion in the arts truly means by giving people with disabilities the skills, confidence, and belief that their creativity matters.

Because when people are empowered to create, they don’t just make art — they make change.

👉 Learn more about our Art Mentor Programs and how to get involved