Community Arts at the LWRC
Creativity makes us human. Creating together makes us a community!
Our programs include community music therapy groups, arts workshops, and family-centered creative experiences designed to support emotional growth, self-expression, and social connection. By combining the power of music and arts with a welcoming, supportive environment, we empower participants to build confidence, strengthen relationships, and find joy through creativity.
What we do
Community is composed of many different types of people that face unique and complex challenges. This is why we provide these programs so that people don’t have to choose between enriching, therapeutic opportunities and basic needs. With that in mind, we build group based programs that meet community goals. We do this by partnering with other community programs including but not limited to local governmental organizations, schools, and neighboring nonprofits. Credentialed clinicians with experience and expertise provide quality therapy for our community that would otherwise not be able access those services. Because of this, we rely on sponsorships and donations to fund quality programming that leads to positive outcomes to build a strong, healthy community.
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This group is for families with children under 3 years of age. Parents/caregivers are a vital part of these groups. This group focuses on positive socialization through music and play, positive attachment/child & caregiver bonding, encouraging motor development, supporting cognitive skills, and fostering exploratory play! Both children and caregivers will have the opportunity to sing, play instruments, enjoy music and movement experiences, and build community with other children and parents/caregivers in a low-stakes, developmentally appropriate, and musically rich environment. You can view the flyer here.
Offered on Wednesdays at 6PM & Thursdays at 10AM
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This group is for families with children ages 3-5. Parents/caregivers are part of the group as well. This is a neurodiversity affirming group that focuses on positive socialization through music and play, positive attachment/child & caregiver bonding, problem solving, self-expression and communication, and encouraging imaginative play & creativity! Participants will have the opportunity to sing, play instruments, enjoy music and movement experiences, and build community with other children and parents/caregivers in a low-stakes, developmentally appropriate, and musically rich environment. You can view the flyer here.
Offered on Tuesdays at 6PM
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This group is for families with children ages 6-9. Parents/caregivers are part of the group as well. This is a neurodiversity affirming group that focuses on peer to peer collaboration, growth mindset, positive attachment, problem solving, positive self-talk, and much more! Participants will have the opportunity to create their own songs together, drum together, play various instruments, play musical games, enjoy music and movement experiences, and build community with other children and parents/caregivers in a low-stakes, developmentally appropriate, and musically rich environment. You can review the flyer here.
Offered on Thursdays at 4:15PM
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This group is for families with children ages 10-13. Parents/caregivers are part of this group as well. This is a neurodiversity affirming group that focuses on peer to peer collaboration, growth mindset, positive attachment, problem solving, positive self-talk, and much more! Tweens/teens will have the opportunity to learn a fun and accessible instrument along with their parent/caregiver in a supportive environment where everyone is learning something new together. It will be a great way for parents/caregivers and tweens/teens to support each other and learn life and music skills all in one place! You can review the flyer here.
Offered on Thursdays at 6PM
Our Group Offerings
Keep us stocked!
We always need instruments and supplies for our programs. You can help us purchase items off our Amazon Wish List. Click on the link below!
The Neil C. Patel Music Therapy Program
Welcome to the Neil C. Patel Music Therapy Program, a tribute to the inspiring legacy of Neil C. Patel. Established in September of 2021, this program honors his remarkable life and his unwavering passion for the arts, community, and helping others.
About Neil C. Patel
Neil C. Patel was a beloved community member who left an indelible mark on everyone he met. Born and raised in Upper Merion, Neil was an exceptional individual with a diverse range of talents and achievements. Neil was a friend to everyone, a great listener with a big heart, he always had a moment to make someone feel important.
His Legacy Continues
Neil C. Patel tragically passed away on August 1, 2021, after a grueling 115-day battle with COVID-19. Despite his brave fight, Neil passed away, leaving behind an exceptional legacy as an outstanding community member, dedicated student, and passionate artist. He has been described as a once-in-a-generation individual with unmatched energy and brilliance.
The impact he made in his short but meaningful life was immeasurable, and his positive influence continues through the NEILSTRONG Foundation. Established in 2021 after Neil’s tragic passing, the NEILSTRONG Foundation has launched several programs in honor of Neil that embody all of his varied interests. Our mission is to encourage civic, cultural, and social engagement within the community, promote positive outcomes by funding educational programs and scholarships, support extracurricular arts and athletics, and raise funds for underserved and disadvantaged populations.
Honoring Neil’s Legacy
The Neil C. Patel Creative Arts Program aims to continue Neil’s spirit of creativity, community, and compassion. In collaboration with Love Works the **Neil C. Patel Creative Arts Therapy Program** was created to celebrate Neil’s love of music and provide therapeutic services for the community. This program was funded with an initial grant of $10,000 from the NEILSTRONG Foundation. To ensure its continued success, the Foundation provides additional grants every year since Neil’s passing. This program offers music therapy to local families who may not otherwise have access or be able to afford such services
About the Program
There are many barriers to accessing therapeutic services with cost being at the top of the list. In fact, the National Council for Wellbeing found that “1 in 4 Americans reported having to choose between getting mental health treatment and paying for daily necessities” (see article here). Community is composed of many different types of people that face unique and complex challenges.
This is why we provide these therapeutic services at the LWRC. We believe in creating a resource-oriented approach so that people don’t have to choose between therapy and basic needs. With that in mind, we build group based programs that meet community goals. We do this by partnering with other community programs including but not limited to local governmental organizations, schools, and neighboring nonprofits. We then hire credentialed clinicians with experience and expertise in those areas to provide quality therapy for our community that would otherwise not be able access those services. Because of this, we rely on sponsorships and donations to fund quality programming that leads to positive outcomes to build a strong, healthy community.
The Impact of this Program
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The Moon River book has been a hit. The kids liked using the big drum in the middle of the room a lot, that was fun to watch!”- “My kids love the scarf activities. It is fun seeing them participate. Especially the one when you come into the circle to do a scarf move and have everyone copy. One of my kiddos has been using the scarves at home to sing some of the songs.”
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The very first night - he was more into it than I expected
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“I loved watching him wait for his turn to use the drum and then fully enjoy his turn! This whole experience was completely new for him, so it was amazing to watch him learn how the group interacts.”