Why Become an ANZATA Member?

ANZATA membership is at three levels: Full Professional Membership, Associate Membership, Student or Trainee Membership. Members receive the benefits of ANZATA's advocacy for the arts therapy profession and the advantages and protection of being represented by a professional body. They also receive ANZATA's regular newsletter, ANZATA News, an annual peer-reviewed journal, ANZJAT, the ANZATA Forum on this website (go to members' login to get to the Forum) and the opportunity to attend an ANZATA conference and symposium each year.

History of ANZATA

The term ‘Art Therapy’ was first used over fifty years ago, beginning in the United Kingdom and the United States. It is now a well established part of assessment and treatment programmes in many parts of the world. The Australian National Art Therapy Association Inc. (ANATA) was founded in 1987 as a non-profit organization. The first meeting was held in Brisbane (Queensland) along with the first National Conference was in 1989. At the founding meeting, most of the ten present were trained and registered in either the USA or the UK. Since then, Australia has become one of the countries outside Europe and North America to provide studies in Art Therapy at postgraduate level. There is an increasing number of Art Therapists here who have completed recognised postgraduate training that meets professional standards. In 2006, ANATA officially became ANZATA (Australian and New Zealand Art Therapy Association), affiliating with New Zealand. ANZATA is actively working on clinical issues and professional development through establishing standards for Art Therapy training, registration and clinical practice. ANZATA also offers support to Art Therapy professionals and others interested in this field, by providing information on research, employment, standards, education and publications. A national newsletter is published four times a year, and in 2006 at the AGM, the professional journal, ANZJAT (The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Art Therapy), was launched. The Annual General Meeting is usually accompanied by a National Conference every second year. In the non conference year the AGM is joined to a half day symposium. The second edition of ANZJAT 2007 is now available.

Objectives

• The progressive development of the therapeutic use of art toward rehabilitation and the improvement of human welfare.
• To promote the development of standards of practice and ethical responsibility in Art Therapy and to ensure these are maintained.
• Provide opportunities for the exchange of information and ideas concerning the therapeutic use of art for practising Art Therapists and Art Therapy students.
• The development of professional training opportunities and the establishment of criteria for training Art Therapists in Australia to international standards.
• To improve the effectiveness of those engaged in Art Therapy through the means of conferences and workshops.
• To encourage research in Art Therapy.
• To establish a register of Art Therapists and to grant registration to those individuals who meets the required standards.
• To provide information about Art Therapy services, practices and training opportunities to the public and other mental health professionals.
• To encourage the development of Regional Groups.

Requirements for ANZATA Membership

ANZATA only recognizes training for Arts Therapists from the approved  courses offered by Universities and Colleges in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore which are referred to under ‘Professional Membership’ on this web site. This training comprises of a minimum two year Masters Degree with a component of 750 supervised clinical hours placement in the mental health arena. Graduates of these programmes are eligible for Professional Registration with ANZATA. 

Membership of ANZATA is also open to International Arts Therapists who are registered, or eligible for registration in their country of study. For example, graduates of courses approved by AATA or BAAT are eligible to join. Professional Membership with ANZATA reflects a high level of training for Arts Therapists and  is now recognized by Government, some Private Health Funds, Public and Private Hospitals, other Allied Health Professionals and the NSW and WA Arbitration Commission.

ANZATA represents all arts psychotherapies and has a category of professional membership for individuals who have completed an equivalent Masters degree in an art modality which complies with the training standards of ANZATA. Associate membership is available to anyone interested in the field of Arts Therapy.