Celebrating 30 Years of Arts, Health, and Society at EGS: Connecting Past and Future in Expressive Arts
This year, the Arts, Health, and Society Division of the European Graduate School (EGS) proudly celebrates its 30th anniversary! For three decades, we have been at the forefront of Expressive Arts, cultivating a global community of dedicated scholars and practitioners who are making a meaningful impact around the world.
Our journey has been marked by significant milestones, including the Poiesis Journal, the co-organization of the Spring Symposium with our partnership institutes, and numerous influential publications. Over the years, many students have trained at EGS and are now using Expressive Arts to respond creatively to challenges in diverse communities worldwide. Their work reflects the depth, purpose, and passion that define our approach.
To honor this legacy, we invite you to join us for a very special Summer Session 2025. This gathering will be a unique opportunity to reflect on our past achievements and explore how they can inspire the future of Expressive Arts. Our theme, “A Legacy of Integrity, a Future of Possibilities,” captures the spirit of this celebration—bridging our history with new horizons.
Register now to be part of this milestone event! The deadline is April 30.
Together, let’s celebrate 30 years of learning, creativity, and transformation. The past has brought us here—let’s shape the future together!
Happy 30th Anniversary, EGYeS!
Below are the dates for Summer Session 2025:
Session 1
June 9th (Session 1 starts at 9am) to June 29th (Session 1 ends at 10pm):
Master Programs in Expressive Arts with Specializations in Therapy, Coaching and Consulting, & Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding
Expressive Arts Master Exams
Masters Graduation Ceremony June 28th
Professional Development in Expressive Arts Digital Arts and Media Module KS
Doctoral Program in Expressive Arts
Qualifying phase of the PhD Program (First year, IMC 1)
From June 15th to June 29th :
Professional Development in Expressive Arts Practice Module A-P
Session 2
July 8th (Session 2 starts at 9am) to July 28th (Session 2 ends at 10pm)
Master Programs in Expressive Arts with Specializations in Therapy, Coaching and Consulting, & Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding
Doctoral Program in Expressive Arts
Qualifying phase of the PhD Program (Second year, IMC 2)
REGISTER BY APRIL 30TH
(Applications are open year-round)
For a closer look at this year’s academic program, please click below:
To learn more about our Masters and PhD Programs, please click below:
(Photo Source: Chelsea Wilkinson)
This year’s Malta course has come to a close!
This year’s Global Health and Expressive Arts intensive professional development program entitled “Health-building and the Expressive Arts: Trauma Informed Practice in Communities and Society” provided students with foundational theory within the conflict and peacebuilding fields, training in psychosocial crisis response, and ethics and assessment framed within a community context, particularly those in conflict or crisis. Throughout the course, students were engaged in academic lectures, arts-based experiential learning, and trauma-informed skill building, specifically focused on working with groups and communities. Included in this year’s course were lectures via Zoom with Professor and EGS faculty member Melinda Meyer, founder of the Expressive Arts in Transition model, and Dr. Jack Saul, licensed psychologist and researcher on community trauma and moral injury. The course also utilized Malta’s urban environments to sharpen phenomenological skills and arts-based practices in city settings.
If you are interested in joining this course in the future, please click below for more information:
We’d like to highlight and celebrate the achievement of Greer Essex, faculty member and director of The Expressive Arts Institute, one of our cooperating institutes. The institute has partnered with the VAPA Foundation, the Grand Prize Winner of the Prebys SPARX Challenge, and were awarded $1 million by the Prebys Foundation for their project Painting A Brighter Future. According to The Expressive Arts Institute:
“In partnership with the Expressive Arts Institute and San Diego Unified School District, we’re embedding expressive arts into social-emotional learning (SEL) – redefining how we approach youth mental health support, while expanding access to quality arts education. This initiative is more than a program – it’s a bold step toward a new way of thinking about school partnerships, public investment, and the role of community in student well-being.”
This investment aims to bring transformative, in-classroom arts programs to over 4,700 students in San Diego, CA.
AHS PhD Candidacy Phase
We are now holding monthly online support meetings with all students in the Candidacy Phase of their dissertation. These meetings aim to foster a sense of academic community and shared learning. Sessions will include updates, peer exchange, and opportunities for faculty or recent graduates to present on topics related to dissertation work.
Additionally, a Google Classroom dedicated to students currently in the Candidacy Phase has been created. This space is used to share key documents, support materials, and announcements related to the dissertation journey.
Students who are interested in joining are invited to contact the PhD Program Director, José Miguel Calderón, at jose.miguel@egs.edu for more information.
Dissertation Defense Announcement
We are pleased to announce the upcoming dissertation defense of:
Odette A. Vélez
Title: Poetic Sensitivity and Expressive Arts: Toward an Encounter with Mystery
Date: Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. (Peru) / 5:00 p.m. (Central European Time)
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/94136678549#success
Meeting ID: 941 3667 8549
Dissertation Committee:
• First Reader: Dr. Sally Atkins
• Second Reader: Dr. Margo Fuchs Knill
• EGS Representative: Dr. Stephen K. Levine
All members of the EGS community and friends are warmly invited to attend and support Odette in this important academic milestone.
(Photo Source: Chelsea Wilkinson)
Have you been longing for the EGS education and community?
In addition to our formal degree programs held in the summers, there are professional development courses available each year – in Saas-Fee, Malta, online and more!
Check out our website to learn more about our courses in Expressive Arts and Digital Media, Expressive Arts Practice, and Expressive Arts and Global Health, as well as our annual Spring Symposium.
(Photo: EGS Photo Library)
Our alumni are the torchbearers of our institution’s legacy, and it is our mission to create a platform that not only keeps you connected with peers but also offers opportunities for professional development, networking, and personal growth.
Get involved by joining as a general member or become a part of the EGS Alumni Committee! We can’t wait to welcome you and build a thriving community together. Reach out today and take the first step towards reconnecting with your alma mater fellow graduates!
Partner Institutes
The field of Intermodal Expressive Arts (EXA) has grown considerably in the last thirty years and has developed an international reputation with professional representation in many countries. Interested in one of our Partner Institutes?
Learn more