Page 33 - AIT1025_E-Paper

Resistruments
von • by Art Helps

www.arthelps.de

You might wonder: Can art really help in times of crisis? That was

the very question Tom Lupo once asked himself before founding

the German NGO Art Helps. Today, the answer is given every day

by a collective of artists, art therapists, musicians, architects, univer-

sities and brands working together on projects that do more than

inspire – they offer hope, healing and spark curiosity. It is the power

of creativity that can bring light into bunkers and colour to ruins –

and perhaps it is what made you stop, after seeing the image on

the left, to read this article. Since 2018, Art Helps has been active

in Ukraine, even in front-line cities such as Avdiivka. There, chil-

dren and young people are given safe havens – places where they

can escape the harshness of daily life and experience moments of

lightness and liberty. The outbreak of war in 2022 did not halt this

commitment. Instead, it fuelled an even stronger response. In Kyiv,

the first Creative Hub is taking shape – the largest centre for art and

trauma support in the country. Spread across 1200 square metres,

it provides a secure space where children and adolescents can ex-

press themselves, explore their imagination and find relief from the

psychological weight of conflict. In the Heroes project (see p. 8-9

and p. 50-51), they design cardboard superhero helmets – symbols

of strength, courage and hope. A particular highlight was the project

Resistruments (see left) in 2023, where young people transformed

remnants of war into musical instruments: a rocket warhead be-

came a violin, a petrol can turned into a guitar. The project gained

worldwide attention and received numerous awards and is raising

new attention for the situation of young people on the ground. Art

Helps demonstrates that art can open eyes and ears. And that from

destruction, something new can be created. So yes, art helps.