As part of the Foundation’s psychosocial support program, we’ve created Art Labs—creative spaces for teenagers, for whom art becomes a way to process and cope with the most difficult experiences of war, a source of inspiration, and a path to regaining trust in the world. These are young people who have lived through occupation, lost those dearest to them or their homes, who are waiting for their loved ones to return from the frontline, or who remain in front-line towns under constant shelling.
With the professional guidance of psychologists and mentors—well-known Ukrainian writers, poets, filmmakers, and musicians such as Marysia Nikitiuk, Olha Kupriian, Kateryna Mikhalitsyna, the band ShchukaRyba and others—teenagers can express what’s weighing on them through creativity, so that in the end, these difficult emotions give them strength, rather than causing pain.
In writing, poetry, and filmmaking workshops with elements of art therapy, participants create and develop something of their own—and at the same time, find a community of trust and support among peers who share similar experiences and interests. It’s a space where they know they’ll be understood and feel free to open up.
Some of our graduates have already created short films (like this one—What We Lost), published a collection of their poems, and continue to grow as artists. For them, creativity has become a vital tool for reflection and self-help—one that stays with them even after the program ends.
Support our Art Labs for teens to help even more Ukrainian children reclaim their trust in the world through creativity.
