2018 MURAL ARTS SIGNATURE PROJECT
From left to right: Julian Mocine-McQueen, Caledonia Curry, Jess Radovich and Heather Box. Photo by STEVE WEINIK
An artist and storytelling team are running a series of innovative workshops in a former cell phone store in Kensington, a Philadelphia neighborhood that has been deeply affected by the national opioid epidemic.
The street artist Caledonia Curry, known as Swoon, is leading the effort to bring understanding and hope to all community member in this northeast Philly neighborhood. The project has come out of the Porch Light program: a collaboration between Mural Arts Philadelphia and City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disability Services, with the goal of achieving universal health and wellness among Philadelphians, especially those dealing with mental health issues or trauma. The project includes a mural designed by Swoon and painted by neighborhood residents, and a conference in October that will focus on acknowledging and treating the trauma that underlies addiction. The storefront on Kensington Avenue, run by Mural Arts Philadelphia, aims to be a welcoming and trauma-informed space for all.
Swoon and her collaborators—counselor and artist Jessica Radovich and storytelling coaches Heather Box and Julian Mocine-McQueen—are hosting a series of daily workshops focused on creating art, storytelling, letter writing, and self-care, and are producing two events in the Fall of 2018. Sign up below to stay in the loop.
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the road home: CONFERENCE COMING THIS FALL
SAVE THE DATE: October 29, 2018 in Philadelphia, PA. Logistics coming soon.
WHAT IS THIS CONFERENCE ABOUT?: We are a community of human beings, creatives, and seekers, coming together to better understand pain, trauma and addiction - and to support and expand the context of true healing. This is a conference unlike any other conference. Although the content will be of the highest quality, we aim to turn traditional power dynamics and systems on their sides by encouraging deep engagement from the participants. The values here are connection, empowerment, deep understanding and meaningful change on individual, community, and system levels.
We will hear from a wide array of experts in the field, including globally recognized addiction specialist Dr. Gabor Mate, as well as other true experts in this field: those who have experienced or been touched by addiction and trauma. We believe in compassion-centered healing, and are aiming to explore the artistic stretches of our humanity to support people in their own empowered creativity and healing. We believe in the power of art and story and connection to transform trauma through truth. If you are are looking for a place to ignite hope, connect fully, and speak honestly around some of the most trying topics of our times -- addiction, trauma, pain -- you have come to the right place.
Conference featuring:
Gabor Mater, Addiction Doctor
Caledonia Curry, artist and addiction activist
