Murfreesboro, TN - Caregivers in Rutherford County are getting a much-needed invitation to breathe, reflect, and create. The Rutherford Arts Alliance, in partnership with We Remember You, Bloom Stage, and Poetry in the Boro, has announced a new six-month workshop series called The Art of Unburdening. Designed especially for those caring for loved ones with dementia, the series offers free monthly sessions beginning this October and running through April 2026.

Funded in part by an Arts Build Communities grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission, the workshops aim to provide a gentle space for caregivers to reconnect with themselves through storytelling, poetry, visual art, movement, and music. No art experience is necessary—just a willingness to show up and let go.

“Caregiving is an act of deep love—but it can also be isolating, exhausting, and emotionally overwhelming,” said Lee Ann Hyatt, founder of We Remember You, a Murfreesboro-based support group. “We’re encouraging caregivers to take advantage of this creative way to take care of themselves.”

Each session will be led by professional artists and expressive arts therapists, with materials provided and on-site adult caregiving available by arrangement. The fall workshops will be held at First United Methodist Church in Murfreesboro, an ADA-compliant venue.

Kory Wells of Poetry in the Boro summed it up beautifully: “This isn’t about making perfect art—it’s about honoring the stories and emotions of caregivers through creative practice.”

The series will culminate in a community showcase next May at the Walnut House, where participants can share their work and celebrate their journey. Registration is now open for the October and November sessions at rutherfordartsalliance.org/care.

As RAA Executive Director Jeff Lysyczyn put it, “Art matters. The Art of Unburdening is living proof.”