Riya’s ‘Canvas of Hope’ Uses Art to Champion Mental Health Awareness Among Youth

Riya launched Canvas of Hope in 2023, eager to bring about a mental health revolution using the arts. In today’s age, mental health issues have become prevalent across all age groups both in India and worldwide, but especially among adolescents and young children. Riya, being an advocate and artist herself, cared about this cause knowing of its magnitude, and the detrimental effect it has on youth’s self-expression, confidence, intellect, and more. 

Riya’s motivation to use art to improve mental health is compelling, because she believes in the power of catharsis, collaboration, and instilling a strong sense of optimism in the students she’s impacted. She has taken the initiative to visit Vishva Bharti Public School, NGO Yatan, and Utsav Foundation. In each session she led here, she discussed mental health and well-being, connecting them to the therapeutic benefits of art practices. She encouraged students to deal with their emotions, and think through their thoughts, using diverse artforms. 

The success of Canvas of Hope shows Riya’s strengths; she started and grew a social project from scratch, taking ownership at each and every step. This included developing and distributing over 150 copies of her activity book called “Acts of Care”, which she decided to write in both English and Hindi to make steps to boost mental health as relatable and accessible as possible. For Riya, Canvas of Hope is a reminder that taking care of your mind is crucial, and the angle with which she raises awareness about this is telling of the kind of leader she is: creative, compassionate, and conscientious.