Creative Fellow
Over the past year, our programming has embodied what it means to cultivate communities of care through the arts. Guided by curiosity and a shared commitment to helping people thrive, we curated experiences that brought creativity into classrooms, care settings, and community spaces. We know that the arts support well-being in powerful, accessible ways—and this year, we took intentional steps toward understanding how the arts can contribute to healthier, more connected communities.
This year’s greatest source of learning came from Caila Conklin, a board-certified music therapist whose interdisciplinary practice lives at the intersection of creativity and care. Through her work with Corewell Health’s Cancer Care program and her time with us, Caila showed us how music—and the arts more broadly—can ease pain, foster connection, and help people thrive, even amid uncertainty or challenge. She reminded us that thriving is not a fixed state, but a practice: an ongoing process of curiosity, courage, and compassion.
Caila taught us that wellness flourishes when people are met exactly where they are, and that the arts have a unique ability to unite, uplift, and transform. Her presence shaped the way we think about programming, partnership, and what it means to support the well-being of a community.
“Music helps the brain find balance, making it a powerful form of care, connection, and healing.”
– Your Brain on Art
Caila was a part of many events throughout the year: from being a key thought leader at our Curiosity in Action conference, to energizing teachers through our Teacher Tuesday Series with Jefferson Elementary, to igniting imagination at Arts Alive Summer Camp, to offering adults beauty and restoration through music at Floral Arrangements, we saw creativity deepen resilience and spark meaningful connection. Through events like the Hope Family Foundation Caregivers Celebration, Interwoven: The Art of Flourishing, the Arc of Allegan Workshop, and the Children’s Advocacy Center Caregiver Workshop affirmed that engaging in the arts opens pathways for self-expression, reflection, and belonging.
The SCA recognizes the shared values between the creative work we are leading and that of our wellness-focused partners: community, collaboration, curiosity, and accessibility. This year of robust, lifelong-learning programming affirmed what we have long believed—when creativity meets care, communities flourish. We are grateful for every moment of growth, reflection, and connection that this year brought, and we look forward to continuing to explore how the arts can help all of us thrive.
