“At the beginning of the year, I challenged our students to consider the concept of social entrepreneurship. Essentially, I wanted them to look at the resources in our College and figure where we might plug-in to one of the community's great needs,” said Joseph Skillen, music professor leading the program. “After some consideration, the group determined that we have a wealth of performers and creative people looking for more non-judgmental performing venues. Then the group reached out in the Baton Rouge community to find places where those performances could offer the greatest benefit. The Arts in Medicine program at Baton Rouge General seemed to be a perfect fit.”
Longtime patron of the arts, LSU, healthcare, and an active business leader in our community Janice Pellar, played an important role in making this project possible. In 2010, Pellar established the Janice H. Pellar Creative Arts Entrepreneurship Project through LSU’s College of Music & Dramatic Arts. The program is designed to bring business and entrepreneurship knowledge and skills to students within the college. Serving on Baton Rouge General’s Board of Trustees and Baton Rouge General Foundation’s Board of Governors, Pellar is a strong supporter of the project and the Arts in Medicine program.
“It is exciting to see my passion for music, entrepreneurship and service to our community unite through this project – sharing the gifts of music with patients and our community, and enhancing the students’ educational experience through Baton Rouge General’s Arts in Medicine program,” said Janice Pellar.
“Music and the arts offer tremendous therapeutic benefits and Baton Rouge General is pleased to enhance our Arts in Medicine program through this project which will enrich our patients’ experiences and provide a unique learning opportunity for the LSU music students,” said William Russell, MD, with Baton Rouge General.
“Hospitals have multiple venues where a human touch with art, drama, or music could alleviate so much anxiety, boredom and pain,” Skillen said. “We hope to bring some of the humanizing and transcendent qualities of our art to the hospital while our students receive a firsthand message of the power contained in that art.”
Several students along with LSU music professor and Pellar Entrepreneurship Project director Joseph Skillen kicked off the new project today with a participatory tour through the hospital with Baton Rouge General’s Arts in Medicine Music Therapist Mary Malloy. Recently joining the General’s Arts in Medicine program, Malloy brings musical arts to patients in the hospital through her guitar melodies and song. The students were able to interact with and learn from Malloy as she visited patients in the hospital. At the close of the tour, the students also had the opportunity to meet Pellar who was also generously sharing her own musical talents as a pianist for the Arts in Medicine program’s live concert series today. The program’s weekly live concerts take place every Friday at noon at the General’s Bluebonnet and Mid City campuses and features local musical artists.
Baton Rouge General’s Arts in Medicine program is supported in part by a grant through LIVESTRONG® Community Impact Project.
Pictured from left to right: Mary Malloy, music therapist, Baton Rouge General’s Arts in Medicine program; Nick Garrison, alumni May 2012, LSU College of Music & Dramatic Arts; Janice H. Pellar, Founder of the Pellar Creative Arts Entrepreneurship Project in the LSU College of Music & Dramatic Arts, and member of Baton Rouge General Board of Trustees/Baton Rouge General Foundation Board of Governors; Joseph Skillen, music professor and director of Pellar Creative Arts Entrepreneurship Project in the LSU College of Music & Dramatic Arts; Jessica Ottaviano, senior, LSU College of Music & Dramatic Arts
