Art has long been recognized as a powerful tool for healing in communities impacted by trauma, particularly among refugees and those affected by conflict. Engaging in artistic expression can provide non-verbal pathways to express emotions or thoughts that are often difficult to articulate with words alone. The creation and production of art can open up ways to safely externalize traumatic or difficult memories and has been found to reduce symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and distress. All of this allows participants to regain a sense of emotional regulation. Studies on refugee populations, including children and youth from conflict zones, consistently show that engaging in visual arts fosters relief by enabling the processing of overwhelming experiences, rebuilding trust, and promoting self-expression without the pressure of verbal recounting.
Beyond individual benefits, art can help in aiding social reconnection and community building. In group settings, participants often experience a renewed sense of belonging, reduced isolation, and strengthened interpersonal bonds; this is critical for those who have faced profound suffering and regional instability. Creative activities help retell personal and collective stories, preserve cultural identity amid displacement, and build resilience by shifting focus from trauma to creativity, hope, and shared humanity. These outcomes make art particularly valuable in post-conflict or refugee contexts, where traditional talk-based therapies may face barriers like language differences, stigma, or cultural norms.
For these reasons and more, HEAL Humanitarian was grateful for the opportunity to run a trial art workshop in partnership with a local art gallery located in Ankawa, Erbil. Ankawa is home to a diverse population that includes significant numbers of Iraqi Assyrians, Syrian Alawites, Sabeans, Druze, Syriac Christians, and Iraqi IDPs from Federal Iraq. The district has long served as a vital refuge for internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, and other vulnerable communities fleeing violence, including those displaced by conflicts in Mosul, the Nineveh Plain, and other areas throughout the region.
In partnership with the local art gallery, which generously provided the venue and beneficiaries, HEAL brought in a volunteer team of artists who generously donated their time and skills to lead a three-day workshop from January 6th to 8th, themed around Home & Belonging.
The program featured linoleum block printing, poetry, and collaborative canvas painting, culminating in meaningful final products: a triptych display of prints and two large communal canvases for the gallery, reusable stamp molds for attendees to continue creating at home, a communally written poem, and individual personal poems. Sessions began with greetings, thematic introductions, poetry readings (including works by Wendell Berry, Jane Kenyon, and Art Hackett), and reflective exercises. Participants engaged in hands-on creation, conversation, and mutual support. The team provided individualized guidance, and many stayed late to continue working collaboratively.
Post-workshop, HEAL’s team of artists returned to install the finished pieces in the local gallery and joined the weekly community meal, blending workshop participants with new faces for further bonding. This initiative exemplifies HEAL’s holistic approach to humanitarian aid, going beyond immediate needs to support long-term psychosocial healing, cultural preservation, and empowerment in one of Iraq’s most resilient yet vulnerable communities.
