Art-Making builds Resilience

BuildaBridge features artists Hope Mead and Robert Kelleher in this video illustrating how art-making has made a difference this semester.  Groups this semester took place at the Philadelphia Refugee Mental Health Collaborative's (PRMHC) new storefront site in South Philadelphia, Southeast by Southeast.

Boat Full of Emotions

The PPR (Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience) Families and Children’s group reflects on the mural that they have been working on for the past several weeks.  PPR is a collaborative between BuildaBridge, Nationalities Service Center (NSC) and Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIASPA) providing services and programs to survivors of torture. The weeks’ themes have been “travel” and “home”, two issues of concern for all refugees. They reflected on what could be in the conversation bubbles next to each of the people.  The figures in the boat were made by tracing each of the group members’ silhouettes, and the stars that reflect light to the waves in the ocean were made by participants tracing their hands.

 

Jeane Cohen (Lead Artist), Mimi Scalia (Assistant Teaching Artist) and Hayley Strickler (Volunteer) led the workshops.  Each workshop examined a topical aspect of self reflection, identifying barriers, tools, and skills for resilience related to that aspect. For example, the topics addressed were:

• Language as a platform for self-expression
• Emotion based Self Portraits
• A boat as a metaphoric safety container
• Generated maps as a tool for understanding that home as place can be flexible and what you make it
• A sail to learn how to be aware and in control of self directed activities
• Water and the ocean as a metaphor for movement and change
• Created stars of people who are important to us to remember that they are watching out for us

The artwork made during each workshop served as a component for a small-scale mural, or wall hanging collage. All of the components were created individually and then combined together for the final class to reflect the interconnectedness of the different components of healing and resources explored. They then provided a strong and lasting image of the process of resilience.
The final image included figures of emotion, speaking created languages in a boat of safety with a sail of direction, traveling on the ocean, at night time with a map in the sky and stars of guidance.

The final piece is 10 feet x 10 feet.

"We Iraqis have long stories"

"We Iraqis have long stories" said a participant in BuildaBridge's therapeutic arts group for Iraqi families living in Northeast Philadelphia.  This group, comprised of Iraqi mothers and children who have lived in the U.S. for over three years, will be focusing their efforts this Fall on telling their stories through a group made tapestry.  Operationally, a tapestry is a single composition which is comprised of many threads. Conceptually, a tapestry displays a meaningful moment in time that is a symbol and a distillation of many smaller experiences and moments. In addition, many people with unique lives and backgrounds come together to form one community.  The group will keep this metaphor - the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, at the forefront of their art experiences to create the piece.  Since October, 28 participants have attended three groups.  Over the next few weeks, participants and BuildaBridge artists will create story-based pieces about their families, their generation, and then their group/community histories. 

Also during this Fall term BuildaBridge is providing the Burmese Chin and Burmese Karen communities therapeutic arts groups in South Philadelphia.  BuildaBridge's efforts with the Bhutanese children have phased out as many of them are feeling more socially connected after living in Philadelphia for over four years now.  BuildaBridge has thus re-focused efforts on the Burmese communities who are still arriving in relatively high numbers to the Philadelphia region.  These groups have served 32 participants so far this Fall.

Another new project was launched at Southwark School in South Philadelphia.  This school has a wide diversity of students from over 10 countries including many of the Bhutanese and Burmese refugees with whom BuildaBridge works.  Southwark invited BuildaBridge to create a mural that represents the diversity of their students and to use the school's main quote "We honor the greatness in you."  See the mural in process below and stay tuned for more Fall program updates!

Funding received by the PA Council on the Arts

This Refugee Project is supported in part by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

On October 9th, BuildaBridge was presented with the award check from the PA Council on the Arts.  Hosted by PECO and led by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the event highlighted each of the grantees from the five-county Philadelphia region. 

 

Maud Lyon, President of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance with BuildaBridge Co-Founder Dr. Vivian Nix-Early and PRMHC Project Manager, Danielle Bossert

 

 

 

 

Thank you Creative Philadelphia!

BuildaBridge thanks the City of Philadelphia's Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy for the recognition of our Refugee Project.  On Thursday, October 1st, BuildaBridge was honored in a ceremony for our work exhibited at City Hall with the Mayoral Certificate of Artistic Excellence.  The works represented five years of our project with 500 refugees from 13 countries with the help of 33 BuildaBridge artists.  BuildaBridge exhibited pieces from The Refugee Project, which is comprised of participation in three collaborations: the Philadelphia Refugee Mental Health Collaborative, the Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience and a partnership with Nationalities Service Center's Refugee Employment and Advancement Program. The presentation also recognized programs by the School District of Philadelphia.  

Helen Haynes, Chief Cultural Officer with Dr. Vivian Nix-Early, Co-Founder of BuildaBridge

Certificate received by BuildaBridge

Mayor Nutter with Dr. Nix-Early and PRMHC Project Manager, Danielle Bossert

Year 4 Report

 

 

 

BuildaBridge is pleased to announce the publication of its Year 4 Report of involvement in the Philadelphia Refugee Mental Health Collaborative (PRMHC).

 

BuildaBridge PRMHC Year 4 Report

BuildaBridge is at City Hall!

For a third time in four years, BuildaBridge is honored to be exhibiting its artwork at City Hall. This if the first time, however, that the Refugee Project has been featured on its own.

As part of the City of Philadelphia's Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Art in City Hall is a program presenting exhibitions showcasing contemporary artwork by professional and emerging Philadelphia artists.  The program strives to link visual artists with the larger community by providing the public with a greater knowledge and appreciation of their artistic achievements.

The artwork highlights BuildaBridge's roles in the Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience, the Philadelphia Refugee Mental Health Collaborative and its partnership with Nationalities Service Center's Refugee Employment and Advancement Program.

The exhibit is on the 2nd Floor of City Hall, and can be viewed until October 2, 2015.

For more information from City Hall, read more here.