Biography

Holly Carr is a nationally acclaimed Nova Scotia artist who has dedicated her work to supporting mental health in young people. Her ground-breaking ‘Light in the Forest’ art installation debuted at the Acadia University Art Gallery in 2013. It began as an artistic exploration of her young son’s anxiety and her own childhood fears, but years later, after a string of youth suicides in the Annapolis Valley, she revisited the project and developed it into a mental wellness initiative to destigmatize mental health issues, raise awareness about mental health resources, and promote wellness and self-care through art and nature.

‘Light in the Forest’ has expanded into an award-winning children’s book, an educational program for schools, a live multimedia presentation, and an app. The immersive production has toured the province and featured performances by the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra and the Nova Scotia Honour Choir.

Holly’s work has been endorsed by the Nova Scotia Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, the Canadian Mental Health Association, the RBC Foundation, and the Valley Regional Hospital Foundation. She has been recognized by Women of Influence, and in November 2024 received the King Charles III Coronation Medal. In addition to developing and touring ‘Light in the Forest’, Holly recently launched the Story Trails Project in Portapique to help that community heal from the horrors of April 2020 and to foster hope, resilience, and connection.