The power of art

Who knew? It was pointed out to me recently that on the back of a $20 bill there are stunning images of aboriginal art and there is a powerful quote from Gabrielle Roy "Could we ever know each other in the slightest without the arts?"

Our recent partnership with the Latcham Gallery in Stouffville who hosted the Hidden In Plain Sight: Living Homeless in York Region exhibit bears this out. Maura Broadhurst, curator for the gallery wrote - 'we believe it was a very effective way to expose our audience to this issue and to help raise awareness in the community." There were over 700 visitors to the exhibition. It was a point of connection for those who visited the gallery and for staff "who found ourselves engaged in important and personal conversations with visitors who reflected diverse parts of our community."

As YRAEH continues on our jouney to facilitate collaborative solutions to homelessness and poverty in York Region, we are very appreciative of the partnerships we are building with the arts community. This work is not just about homelessness - or about social services. It is about challenging labels, wrestling with isolation and marginalization. It is about building a culture of possibility and transformation in community.