The ARTS ON THE FRONT LINES
ARTS on the Front Lines
The global pandemic coupled with social injustice has exposed the inadequacies in how we meet our basic human needs. How we treat each other. They have created walls around us; the arts break down those walls, they open doors and build bridges.
In times of crisis, we use art to express our feelings, deal with stress, our fears, to communicate our ideas and thoughts, for comfort and strength. When the crisis is over, we use art to heal and unite, creating stronger individuals and communities; to celebrate. We use art to offer alternatives, to see options and possibilities, to heal from trauma, to raise dialogues, to effect change.
Since 2020 we have had to deal with the challenges of multiple public health issues: the COVID-19 Pandemic and the subsequent mental health crisis and social injustice. We have had one challenge after another, these circumstances and events have widened the disparities in access to the arts that already existed, and it has and will affect arts organizations working with individuals and communities. These are our Arts on The Front Lines organizations that deserve our recognition and support. These organizations are working with children, youth and communities at risk, veterans, the elderly, in the justice system, immigrants, working in healthcare and wellness, working with the homeless population, and revitalizing impoverished communities. These organizations have had to rise to the challenges placed in front of them and keep going or risk shutting down and leave the individuals and communities they serve at a greater risk. We should view them collectively as a creative force who use the arts as their weapons.
We need to recognize these arts organizations; these are the organizations doing the work that is needed now and position the arts to take a central role in our future. These are organizations that are ‘essential’.
We talk about how the arts can help us moving forward and what they can do for our society, but which arts were and are they talking about and for whom?
We need to not only recognize these organizations but to celebrate them for their service to us all.
Arts on the Front Lines recognizes the power of the arts to be transformative, to challenge, to offer possibilities and hope, to heal and unite, to effect change.
It is recognition of arts projects, artists and arts organizations working to make an impact on individuals, communities, society; art used as a prevention tool; in health, wellness and healing, social justice and human rights, civic engagement, community revitalization. It is art as an ‘essential service’.
Arts on the Front Lines will celebrate and highlight these projects, artists, and organizations, giving them greater visibility, providing a platform for growth and collaboration.