Coping Through Creativity: Artmaking During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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dc.contributor.advisorMudry, Tanya
dc.contributor.authorYeganeh Farid, Sepidar
dc.contributor.committeememberDomene, Jose
dc.contributor.committeememberMacFarlane, Jane
dc.date2025-02
dc.date.accessioned2025-02-11T20:21:42Z
dc.date.available2025-01-30T15:35:34Z
dc.date.available2025-02-11T20:21:42Z
dc.date.issued2025-01-21
dc.description.abstractThe COVID-19 pandemic introduced unprecedented challenges to well-being, including heightened levels of isolation, anxiety, and stress. Even amidst social distancing measures and isolation, there was a sudden and widespread surge in artistic activities, as people turned to artmaking in the face of these unprecedented challenges. This thesis examined how self-directed artmaking aided in coping and enhancing well-being during the pandemic. While previous research has explored the benefits of art on well-being, this thesis focused on the specific role of self-directed artmaking to cope during the novel crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), I conducted interviews with five participants, including both professional and non-professional artists, who engaged in art independently without formal guidance. The analysis revealed that participants used artmaking as a crucial coping mechanism during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three overarching themes, Art for Survival, Art for Revival, and Art for Revolution, highlighted how artmaking facilitated creative connections, embodied healing, emotional processing, self-reflection, and personal discovery, while also serving as a platform for advocacy and social justice. These findings demonstrated art’s capacity to support well-being in multifaceted ways, helping participants navigate the complex challenges posed by the pandemic. Implications for government policy, education, and counselling psychology are discussed, including the potential of artmaking as a versatile, practical, and independent tool for enhancing well-being during challenging times, and importance of art-based initiatives in public health strategies and educational curricula.
dc.identifier.citationYeganeh Farid, S. (2025). Coping through creativity: artmaking during the COVID-19 pandemic (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1880/120767
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisher.facultyGraduate Studies
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgary
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subjectArtmaking
dc.subjectSelf-directed Art
dc.subjectCoping
dc.subjectCOVID-19 pandemic
dc.subjectWell-being
dc.subjectMental Health
dc.subjectCounselling Psychology
dc.subjectEveryday Creativity
dc.subjectArtivism
dc.subjectCreative Expression
dc.subjectPandemic Research
dc.subjectHolistic Wellness
dc.subject.classificationDance
dc.subject.classificationFine Arts
dc.subject.classificationMusic
dc.subject.classificationTheater
dc.subject.classificationEducation--Art
dc.subject.classificationEducation--Guidance and Counseling
dc.subject.classificationEducation--Health
dc.subject.classificationEducation--Social Sciences
dc.subject.classificationMental Health
dc.subject.classificationEducational Psychology
dc.subject.classificationPsychology--Social
dc.titleCoping Through Creativity: Artmaking During the COVID-19 Pandemic
dc.typemaster thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineEducation Graduate Program – Educational Psychology
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (MSc)
ucalgary.thesis.accesssetbystudentI do not require a thesis withhold – my thesis will have open access and can be viewed and downloaded publicly as soon as possible.
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