WAMFest 2026 ARTS In Health

WAMFest 2026: ARTS in Health

ARTS By The People and Fairleigh Dickinson University presents WAMFest 2026: ARTS in Health; a two-day festival of creative workshops and performances designed to engage Nursing, Psychology, and Allied Health students at Fairleigh Dickinson University as well as regional health workers, while encouraging collaboration with the university’s Arts, Communication, and Humanities programs.

As New Jersey’s premier event at the intersection of arts and health, ARTS in Health, WAMFest celebrates how the arts foster skills — such as creativity, adaptability, empathy, curiosity, attention to detail, and communication — that are essential to the field of healthcare. However, sessions will also invite healthcare students and workers to build community, process and express job-related stress, and expand focus and imagination. In other words, WAMFest 2026: Arts In Health takes a holistic approach to wellness. When those who steward the well-being of others take care of themselves, they are better equipped for their work.

Unless otherwise indicated in the schedule below, all WAMFest programs are free and open to the public

To sign up for workshops, CLICK HERE

Workshops are limited to 20 participants. There will be a waitlist for ‘observing only’.

Day 1: Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Lenfell Hall (Located in Hennessy Hall)

Maps, click here.

9:00-9:30 am: Check-in

9:30-11:00 am: Fiber Arts “Stitching Together”

Samantha Dooley, LSW
Behavioral Health Clinician, Morris County Sexual Assault Center (Atlantic Health System)

Basic hand-sewing techniques to prevent secondary trauma. When working as a care provider, we can be exposed to trauma and stressors. Learn about secondary trauma, and techniques to manage it by using sewing, creativity, breathwork, and relaxation.

11:00-11:30 am: Break

11:30 am-1:00 pm: Collage “Finding Comfort Through Conversation and Collage”

gwen charles
Multi-disciplinary artist

Participants will discuss sentiments on their wellbeing, take time to breathe together, and create a collage to explore ideas of comfort and rest. Participants will leave the workshop with their collage, a limited-edition artist print from gwen, and a refreshed spirit.

1:00-2:30 pm: Lunchtime Presentation (By Invitation Only) “Stories In Motion”

Stories in Motion pairs the art of storytelling with expressive dance and choreography. Our participants share their own stories and memories with our teaching artists who transcribe and translate those stories into poetry and dance in a one hour workshop. ARTS By The People developed this unique program during a 2-year residency at New Jersey Senior Communities between 2009-2011, and is now part of our regular programming at Older Adult and Continuum Care Communities, Survivors of Sexual Assault Groups and Memory Care Groups. Stories in Motion builds community and friendships through story sharing and exposing common threads with others.

Paul Rabinowitz, Kelly Guerrero and Micaela Camacho-Tenreiro

2:30-4:00 pm: “Living in the Fractures: Writing Poetry as Self-Care”

Moriah Cohen
Certified Listener Poet

In this workshop, future medical professionals will use imagery and figurative language to write poetry about their challenges. By exploring life’s “fractures,” participants will find new ways to process and make sense of their experiences.

4:00-6:00 pm: Break

6:00-7:00 pm: Buffet & Refreshments

7:00-9:30 pm: The Platform (Registration Not Required)

Hosted by Micaela Camacho-Tenreiro with special guest, David Daniel.

ARTS By The People’s longstanding writing workshop and open mic series makes a special to Fairleigh Dickinson University. From first-time writers to published authors, all are welcome to share original poetry or prose. Each reader will be allotted 3-5 minutes on the mic, depending on the number of sign-ups

Day 2: Thursday, April 9, 2026
Orangerie

Maps, click here.

11:30 am-1:00 pm: "Understanding nature's impact on health & well being"

Anne M. Meore, LMSW, HTR
Horticultural Therapist

This workshop will explore the manner by which nature serves as a source of healing & restoration. Participants will engage in creating a restorative desktop garden and come to understand, first-hand, the foundational concepts that support wellness through nature engagement.

1:00-2:30 pm: Lunchtime Presentation (By Invitation Only)

Tara Rynders, RN

2:30-4:00 pm: “The Clinic”

Tara Rynders, RN

Using movement, storytelling, and play as medicine, participants will experience what it feels like to receive care and practice collective care in community with one another, leaving with tangible practices for sustaining resilience.

4:30-6:00 pm: Buffet Dinner and Keynote with Thomas Dooley: In The Belly Of The Whale (Registration Not Required)

Keynote: Thomas Dooley

Thomas Dooley is Atlantic Health System’s first Program Manager for Humanistic Medicine. As the first program manager for the expanding Humanistic Medicine program, Thomas is dedicated to advancing health humanities within the Division of Academic Affairs, integrating medical humanities, biopsychosocial medicine, and patient-centered care. He works collaboratively with medical residents and students, extending his efforts to offer narrative medicine at the bedside for patients and caregivers dealing with trauma, terminal illness, pain, isolation, grief and other life-changing events.

6:00-7:30 pm:

Stories in Motion: “What Does Empathy Mean To You?”

(Registration not required)

Paul Rabinowitz, Kelly Guerrero, and Micaela Camacho-Tenreiro

In this culminating, participatory performance at the intersection of listening, movement, and storytelling, ARTS By The People teaching artists will guide an exploration of empathy.

All workshops are open to the public and barrier free. If you need assistance, please reach out to us at info@artsbythepeople.org with questions and accessibility needs.

Festival schedule is subject to change.

ARTS In Health

Our Arts In Health goals are twofold. First, to expand our programming so we can bring the healing power of the arts to more communities in New Jersey. Second, to advocate for and spread awareness of the health benefits of arts participation. We are delighted to build upon existing resources to collaborate with regional and state partners, and seek guidance from other industry leaders in the health sector to achieve our objectives.

Programs we facilitate to improve the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional well-being of our participants.

● Stories in Motion: Dance and Poetry—combines spoken word, poetry, and dance to create a uniquely interpretive and sensorial experience mixing poetry created in our workshops with choreography. Each poem/dance provides a catalyst for discussion: language, imagery, emotional embodiment, and physical interpretation.
● Memoir Writing: Writing inspired by an object that is important and dear to our writers.
● The PLATFORM: Literary Open Mic sometimes based on themes of ARTS In Health with featured guest artists working in the field.
● Horticultural Arts: Engage participants in nature-based activities including floral arranging, horticultural crafts, and modified gardening experiences that focus on stimulating the senses, memory, motor skills, and social interaction.
● Object Writing: Learning the art of composition and creating poems from the photography