Mission & Vision
Many of us have gone through painful experiences in our lives. These experiences can take many forms, such as discrimination, bullying, abuse, sexual harassment and assault, family issues, the death of loved ones, or mental illnesses. Oftentimes it can be difficult for us to share these experiences with those around us, especially in societies where expressing negative emotions is considered a weakness and where mental health issues are stigmatized due to misunderstanding.
We believe that every story deserves to be heard, that there is power in facing one’s own and seeing others’ pain, and that people start to heal when they feel understood. We also believe that art is a powerful tool to help people heal and express themselves and to help deliver messages to the hearts of many people.
We hope to empower those who have survived painful experiences by providing a platform for them to share their stories and by honoring these stories through art. We hope that these stories and artworks will touch the hearts of many people and inspire those who have been through similar experiences. We also hope that this platform can raise societal awareness of issues such as mental health stigma.
We envision a world where every person can feel safe to express their pain, where every person can feel that they are seen, heard, understood, and not alone, and where the powers of art and story-telling bring us together and enrich our lives.
Our Values
Every person has a voice worth hearing.
Our heartist collective has the ability to create meaningful works of art out of each survivor's unique experience.
heArtist/survivor collaborations are a rewarding experience for all.
Arts should be brought to audiences who have little or no exposure to creative art forms; these experiences enrich the lives of both survivors and audiences.