About Us

Awakenings is a small arts nonprofit dedicated to making visible the artistic expression of survivors of sexual violence. Through year round workshops, we invite survivors to try healing through art making, writing, dance, movement, and soon music. In addition, we aim to educate the public about the reality of sexual assault by cultivating an audience of advocates and allies to welcome the survivor artwork. We do this by offering public-facing programming such as art exhibit openings, performance events, and a literary magazine. 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men will be sexually assaulted by their eighteenth birthday. We know the statistics feel insurmountable, but there is a way to have an impact: support survivors. Despite the tidal wave of public awareness brought about by the #MeToo movement in the last year, the media has plastered our screens with the assailants more often than the survivors. The backlash more often than the support. The privileged more than the underserved. Awakenings is trying to hand the microphone back to the survivors who need it the most, and give them the opportunity to heal through art and tell their stories to an audience who hears, sees, and believes them.