BCSAT History

The BC School of Art Therapy was founded by Kathleen Grace Collis (Van Sickle). Kay was also the first Canadian art therapist to be registered by the American Art Therapy Association and received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 12th Annual YMCA-YWCA Women of Distinction Awards (see Times Colonist article). Her life as an art therapist has also been featured in the Times Colonist in an article on 21 May 2011, which can be accessed here

In 1969 Kay Collis, then a student of art and psychology at the University of Victoria, was invited to develop an art program at the Victoria Mental Health Centre for people with major mental illnesses. In that year she was also invited to the Menninger Clinic by Robert Ault and to the founding meeting of the American Art Therapy Association. While continuing to work in Victoria under the British Columbia Ministry of Health, Kay established an art therapy department at the Victoria Mental Health Centre and began to receive many requests for training from people in the local community. During this time it was becoming quite apparent that the need existed for a professional association. To meet this need, in 1978 the British Columbia Art Therapy Association was founded which in turn led to the establishment of the governing body, the Victoria Institute of Art Therapy Association (VIATA) in 1982.

By 1985 the Institute’s school had become a formal full-time program and was officially established as the British Columbia School of Art Therapy (BCSAT). In 1993, the non-profit society which governs BCSAT was renamed the Centre for Human Science Research and Its Relation to Human Science Association.

At present the School is a private educational institution that offers graduate level training, consisting of both practical and theoretical instruction, within a clinical setting. It operates from funds provided by tuition fees and from administration and implementation of art therapy services in the community. BCSAT awards two credentials: a two year Post-Bachelor’s Diploma in Art Therapy and a 15 month Post-Master’s Certificate in Art Therapy. The School is registered with the Private Career Training Institutions Agency of British Columbia and is both a registered charity and a non-profit society.