Art With Heart Exhibition Launch - Huon Domestic Violence Service

Art with Heart is a healing and recovery program that provides participants with a safe, supportive and trauma-informed group environment to explore and process their experiences through creative expression.

The program offers a range of artistic mediums, including animation, sculpture, painting and other expressive arts practices. These creative opportunities allow participants to explore their inner experiences, express emotions, reconnect with their strengths and discover new ways of understanding and communicating their stories. Participation is guided by trauma-informed principles, with an emphasis on safety, choice, trust, collaboration, empowerment and respect for each person’s individual healing journey.

The Art with Heart exhibition extends this work by creating a space for safe advocacy, where participants can choose to share their creative expressions, raise awareness of the impacts of family violence and contribute to broader community understanding. Through art, participants have an opportunity to communicate experiences that may be difficult to express through words alone, while helping to challenge stigma, break down barriers and encourage meaningful conversations about family violence, healing and recovery.

Importantly, participation in the exhibition is guided by individual choice and consent. Participants retain control over whether, how and to what extent their work and stories are shared publicly. This approach recognises that advocacy can take many forms and that healing does not require the disclosure of personal experiences.