This year at ArtPrize, Healing in Arts is honored to share three exhibits that give veterans, justice-involved young women, and refugee children opportunities to create, tell their stories, and be seen.
1 | Art of Resilience: Veterans Memorial Park in Grand Rapids
For six years, we have created alongside veterans and learned that the most important part isn’t always what happens on the canvas; it’s what happens around the table.
This year’s exhibit features 22 individual veteran artists, 9 collaborative veteran groups, and 250 Years, 250 Stories, our America 250 installation created from individually hand-painted tiles.
Through their artwork, veterans share stories of service, sacrifice, strength, healing, and hope.
Opening Celebration: Saturday, September 19 | 10:30–11:00 a.m.
2 | This Is Me
The Grey Rabbit | 700 Wealthy St. SE
Since 2017, we have had the privilege of working with young women from the 17th Circuit Court Girls Court under Judge Patricia Gardner.
In This Is Me: Self-Portraits by Justice-Involved Young Women, each participant created a portrait reflecting something about who she is, not a label or a mistake, but her personality, strengths, hopes, and who she is becoming.
Artist Reception: Sunday, September 20 | 2:00–4:00 p.m.
3 | Between Two Worlds
300 Monroe Ave. NW | Across from DeVos Place
Between Two Worlds: Stories of Becoming shares the portraits and stories of refugee children and families who have experienced leaving one home and beginning in another.
We want our community to see beyond the word “refugee” to the child, the family, the courage, and the dreams behind each portrait.
Visitors can add a ribbon with a message of welcome or encouragement, helping to create a growing expression of compassion and belonging.
Three very different exhibits, but each reflects why we do this work: to create spaces where people can tell their stories, experience connection, and know that they matter.
Every story matters. Everyone deserves to belong.
Art is a bridge to healing.