Samantha Sponer curtain

Artist Spotlight: Samantha Sponer

As an interdisciplinary artist with a background in textiles, I designed the ArtWorks for Freedom banner as a tribute to protest movements in the present and the past. The act of sewing has long been considered a craft instead of a fine art, and the medium itself has a long history of resistance and awareness. […]

Economic Barriers Facing Survivors of Trafficking

As they work to rebuild their lives, survivors of trafficking often face significant economic barriers, leading to higher rates of unemployment and potential revictimization. These barriers can affect survivors at any point in their journey, from immediately after they achieve freedom to many years down the line. Most survivors will need some form of financial […]

Amy Sena

Volunteer Spotlight: Amy Sena

Over the years, ArtWorks for Freedom has been fortunate to work with incredible collaborators. These people have come to us as staff, Contributing Artists, partners in hosting impactful exhibits around the globe, and volunteers.  All of these forms of collaboration are remarkable, but there is something intrinsically moving about the role a volunteer plays in […]

The Places They Will Go

ArtWorks for Freedom Artists Alliance — Helen Zughaib

“The Places They Will Go” © Helen Zughaib “My work is ultimately about creating empathy. Creating a shared space for introspection and dialogue. I ask the viewer to see through someone else’s eyes, to walk in another’s shoes. To accept the ‘other.’ To reject divisiveness. To promote acceptance and understanding and to reject violence and subjugation of […]

ArtWorks for Freedom Artists Alliance — Matilde Simas

Matilde Simas’ work as a photographer and visual storyteller, guided by her primary role of humanitarian, has taken her around the globe. Her work’s primary focus is human rights, with the goal being to leverage storytelling to inform, provoke discussion, and ultimately inspire action. As Simas explains, “I achieve this by public speaking and exhibiting […]