Happiness 2.0

Happiness 2.0 mask workshops

Throughout the fall semester, Indiana University undergraduate and high school students from the Bloomington community are invited to participate in the Happiness 2.0 Mask Workshops — an interactive experience that brings together science, art, and reflection on digital life.

Hosted on the second floor of the Eskenazi Museum of Art (in the Roehm Family Art-Making Studio), each 2.5-hour workshop introduces participants to current research on how digital media can shape young people’s experiences, with a particular focus on identity and well-being. The weekly workshops will start on Friday, Sept. 4, and will run until Dec. 18.

The experience combines three components:

• an accessible discussion of current research on digital media and identity
• a guided exploration of artworks in the Eskenazi Museum’s galleries
• a hands-on mask-making activity

Drawing inspiration from both the research discussion and the museum experience, participants will create a mask representing aspects of their own digital identity and experiences with digital media. Topics explored throughout the workshop include identity formation, online self-presentation, the relationship between online and offline selves, and well-being.

This project is funded by Indiana University (IU Public Arts and Humanities Project Grant) and developed in partnership with The Media School, Counseling and Psychological Services, and the Eskenazi Museum of Art.

Digital media are deeply embedded in youth's everyday lives, with many young people reporting being online "almost constantly." At the same time, concerns about youth mental health have increased. Today, it is crucial to move beyond simple measures of "screen time" to better understand how, when, and why digital experiences may support or challenge young people's well-being and identity development.

Happiness 2.0 creates a space where young people can engage with these questions directly. Rather than simply learning about research, participants are invited to connect scientific evidence with their own experiences and explore those experiences creatively through art. The workshops translate research on media effects into arts-integrated programs, creating new opportunities for dialogue among researchers, students, educators, and communities.