Art therapy in the Basque Country: Trajectory of the profession

Abstract

This work summarises the history of art therapy in the Basque Autonomous Community (BAC) and Navarre over the last 20 years in order to understand the current context. To this end, different agents who have participated in the development of the profession have been interviewed, with more than 30 participants (17 art therapists, 8 multidisciplinary professionals and 8 Basque students in training). The contributions of these agents have made it possible to construct a plural narrative, structured in the following sections: Beginnings of art therapy in the Basque Country; Interventions in health, social, cultural and educational centres; and Present and future of the profession. This compilation of experiences and stories confirms that art therapy is on the way to consolidation thanks to the individual and rhizomatic work of Basque professionals. In general terms, we can conclude that the art therapists of these four provinces have managed, over the course of more than two decades, to overcome various difficulties in order to accompany a large number of people, as well as working tirelessly to make our profession known throughout the Basque Country.