Skip to Main Content
You are now in the main content area

Taboo Health

Taboo Health Logo

Founder: Maria Cheung

Website: https://www.taboohealth.org (external link) 

We curate public and and interactive art events that explore the most difficult health topics.

Health problems are complex, can be embarrassing and are often dealt with privately. 60% of the public trust the internet as a source of health information. With the advent of open access “health information” online it can be difficult for the public to navigate credible health and wellbeing information and supports. Meanwhile many well established and credible health organizations are not getting the visibility they deserve for the supports they offer.

Public art brings people together from all walks of life. It is an accessible way to broach challenging topics. It starts discussions. It creates community in a proactive and thought-provoking way.

We are a non-profit collective of health educators, creatives, and advocates who curate art and design exhibits that address the most challenging health topics. We believe that art is powerful, evidence matters, and dialogue is necessary.

While in London, England, founder Maria heard that her roommate had been on a date and stumbled upon an exhibit at a local gallery covering sexually transmitted illnesses. With a background in public health, while awkward as the date may have gotten, she found the opportunity a facinating icebreaker on an otherwise uncomfortable topic, and has since continued to observe the likes of thought-provoking artists and the use of public cultural spaces to explore stigmatized health topics.

This January 17, 2018 – January 28, 2018, we debuted our first ever interactive public art event Dying. at the Design TO festival in Toronto, Canada. It had four exhibits over three locations featuring 14 artist, and two-days of talks in Toronto. Over 400 of the public attended the opening reception, 100 were in attendance at our key note speaking event, and over three thousand alone came to the main interactive exhibit over the festival days.  

Research has shown that avoiding conversations on difficult topics causes more anxiety in the long term. Through our cultural events, we aim to spark public conversation while arming the public with the facts and supports through our fears, so that together we can all get a little more comfortable with the uncomfortable.