19th Annual TAPTA Trip
January 30-February 14, 2027 in Kenya
or with optional safari, Jan. 30–Feb. 16
APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN!
Applicants will be reviewed & notified on a rolling basis. Apply soon to secure lower airfare. There is no application fee.
This trip consists of seven days of collaboratively facilitated workshops and trainings, followed by three nights on Lake Victoria for visitor participants. An optional two-day safari is available.
Programming includes workshops, skill shares, reflections, community-building, time for respite and more.
Applications are open to creative arts therapists, students, and related professionals.
Therapeutic Arts Paraprofessional Training in Africa
The Therapeutic Arts Paraprofessional Training in Africa (TAPTA) program offers creative arts therapists (drama, music, visual, dance/movement, poetry/creative writing, and expressive arts) and related professionals (counselors, social workers, etc.) an opportunity to participate in an exchange of skills and knowledge with their counterparts in East Africa.
Because there are no formal educational paths for the creative arts therapies in East Africa, participants from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and other countries in East Africa have educational and professional backgrounds as counselors, artists, teachers, social workers, and other types of cultural workers.
Application
We encourage you to apply early before spots fill and to secure a lower airfare.
There is no application fee. Letters of recommendation are not required or accepted.
Who can apply?
Applications are open to creative arts therapists, students, and related professionals.
We are looking for creative arts therapists (drama, music, visual, dance/movement, poetry/creative writing, and expressive arts) and related professionals (counselors, social workers, etc.) from around the world to participate in an exchange of knowledge and skills with their counterparts in East Africa.
Notification
Applicants will be reviewed & notified on a rolling basis.
Everyone Is a Teacher, Everyone Is a Learner
The training is based on the idea that everyone is a teacher and everyone is a learner. The education of most visiting professionals has been centered in ideas about therapy and art that are individualistic and Eurocentric in nature. Thus, learning alongside East African participants provides exposure to deeply embedded arts and cultural practices that integrate social, psychological, physical, and spiritual wellbeing within a collectivist understanding of health and wellbeing.
The learning experience can be challenging, exciting, perspective-shifting, joyous, exhausting, and enriching.
In addition to the formal TAPTA program, we also have some time off from the training to engage with our East African colleagues in exploring local sites, cultural resources, and restaurants. We also do a post-TAPTA excursion with visiting professionals to reflect on our experiences and to prepare for the journeys back to our homes. For those interested, an additional two-day safari is an option.
Schedule + Full Trip Description
$4000 Trip Fee*
Does not include airfare to and from Kenya.
$1050 Optional safari**
Timeline and payment schedule***
Rolling Non-refundable $500 deposit due upon acceptance ($750 incl. safari)
Dec 15 Final payments due
*The trip fee covers accommodations, most meals, program fees and supplies, all in-country travel, and the underwriting of costs for trip leaders. It also helps cover the travel and accommodation costs for our East African participants. It does not cover immunizations, visa (called Electronic Travel Authorization and is currently $30 for U.S. citizens; price may differ for citizens from other countries), trip cancellation and medical evacuation insurance, drinks, snacks, tips for drivers and hotel staff, optional activities, or personal shopping purchases.
**The safari fee of approximately $1050 covers accommodations, meals, park fees, safari vehicles, drivers, and transportation to and from conservation area.
***Meeting the payment deadlines ensures the price quoted for the trip. Late payments are accepted but may be assessed a higher trip price due to rising cost of accommodations or local flights in Kenya. Alternative payment plans can be discussed if necessary.
Click here to Pay Fees – coming soon
Optional Safari
The optional safari is 2 1/2 days and includes accommodations, meals, park fees, safari vehicles, drivers, and transportation to and from conservation area.
Photos by Tsavo National Park.
Questions?
For questions about the application and logistics, contact:
● Linda Stolz, CAALN Executive Director, U.S., Lstolz@caaln.org
If you have questions about the TAPTA training program, please contact one of the following people:
● Cathy Moon, Professor Emerita, Art Therapy Department, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, U.S., cmoon@saic.edu
● Michelle Johns, Art therapist at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, michellejohns.lg@gmail.com
