Moneypenny Minute: Your Finance Moment
July 29, 2025The Transformative Power of Art: Why Community, Creativity, and Collaboration Matter
At Singer Wealth Management, we know that no goal is accomplished alone. Whether you’re rebuilding after hardship or planning for the future, success depends on the people you surround yourself with, your team, your community, your support network.
That’s why we’re honored to spotlight the work of Path with Art, a Seattle-based nonprofit using the arts to help individuals recover from trauma, homelessness, and mental health challenges. Their programs serve more than 2,000 people each year, including over 500 veterans, through a model that centers not just healing through creativity, but healing through connection.
That belief is reflected in the leadership of Holly Jacobson, who has served as CEO of Path with Art for over 12 years. Under her guidance, the organization has grown significantly while staying deeply committed to its mission of empowerment through artistic expression.
“Their resilience is what has taught me personally to be more resilient myself, and their generosity has humbled me for the past 12 years,” Jacobson shared.
Her approach reinforces a powerful truth we hold at Singer Wealth Management: that transformation, whether financial, personal, or creative, happens best when we lean on the strength, wisdom, and creativity of those around us.
Much like our own approach to financial planning, Path with Art believes empowerment happens when individuals are supported by a strong community and given the tools to lead their own journey.
“Our participants don’t just inform the work, they help create it,” PwA’s leadership shared. “Whether it’s launching a choir, opening the studio on Thanksgiving, or designing our peer mentorship certification, the programs grow from their ideas and voices.” —Holly Jacobson, CEO of Path with Art
In other words: their community is their strategy. That belief mirrors what we see in financial planning too. Behind every sound financial decision is a trusted team.Whether it be an advisor, a partner, a circle of people who believe in your potential and help you stay on course when things feel uncertain.
At Singer Wealth, we often say that financial planning is more than math, it’s a relationship. Similarly, PwA shows that creativity is more than self-expression, it’s a vehicle for dignity, confidence, and shared humanity.
Path with Art’s programs are intentionally co-developed with the individuals they serve. From day one, participants are not passive recipients, they’re collaborators. And in that collaboration, they find empowerment.
“When I see women come in unable to make eye contact and return months later standing tall, speaking their truth, I know we’ve done our job. That’s what art does. That’s what a strong community does.” —Holly Jacobson, CEO of Path with Art
PwA recently launched artREMEDY, a trauma-informed arts training program for practitioners across health and arts sectors. They’ve also partnered with Johns Hopkins International Arts + Mind Lab to research the impact of arts engagement on mental and behavioral health. Early results are promising. PwA’s own surveys show that 89% of participants report improved mental well-being.
These outcomes are especially meaningful for women and LGBTQ+ individuals, communities whose trauma may be layered with societal or familial exclusion. As PwA noted, “Art gives people who have been silenced a voice, and the power to choose what that voice sounds like. Whether it’s the colors of a sunset or the words in a poem, that creative control builds confidence and self-determination.”
At Singer Wealth Management, we see a clear parallel. Just as creative expression fosters agency, so does financial planning. Both require trust, teamwork, and the belief that change is possible when you’re not going it alone.
We’re proud to support Path with Art and encourage our clients and partners to engage with their powerful mission. Here are a few ways to get involved:
- Attend “Our Brains on Art” – A conversation with NYT bestselling author Susan Magsamen at Town Hall Seattle on September 26
- Volunteer at a Community Workshop – PwA provides the space, materials, and mentorship. You provide presence and encouragement.
- Join the Art for All Ball – On December 6, celebrate transformation through fashion, art, and community at one of Seattle’s most creative and inclusive events. Featuring participants and local leaders like Mike McCready of Pearl Jam.
At Singer Wealth Management, we believe success is not a solo endeavor. Whether it’s financial empowerment or creative recovery, progress happens when people come together with shared purpose, trust, and vision.
We’re grateful to learn from Path with Art, and to walk alongside them in building stronger, more resilient communities.
To learn more or support their work, visit pathwithart.org.