September 18th - 20th, 2008
Montreal, Québec

Art as Witness is an international conference which aims to share knowledge about the role and function of creativity in times of trauma, as well as the efficacy of the creative arts therapies in facilitating trauma resolution.

The experience of trauma is a major public health issue faced today in many countries of the world. Genocide, war, terrorism, abuse and loss are examples of trauma experienced either collectively or individually. For centuries, people have turned to the arts to comprehend, explore, and express their experience of a traumatic event. Art can convey something of the unspeakable, when words are unable to capture the experience. It is by allowing non-verbal expression of emotions, through creative means, that art therapy has been increasingly used in trauma intervention.

This conference will be held in Montreal, Canada, from September 18-20, 2008, and will gather international researchers, practitioners, artists, and students to create an interdisciplinary dialogue about the witnessing function of art created in a time of trauma or during its aftermath, and the role of the creative arts therapies to overcome trauma. Through presentations and experiential workshops, participants will be given the opportunity to exchange ideas and knowledge in an atmosphere open to debate.

Goals of conference

1. To create an interdisciplinary dialogue about the function of art and creativity at times of trauma and during its aftermath.
2. To increase awareness and further understanding of how the creative arts therapies can be an effective tool for the intervention and resolution of trauma.