Framing Remarks by Sally Painter, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer Blue Star Strategies

In the aftermath of conflict, trauma or displacement, art emerges as a powerful tool for healing, supporting survivors of war, people with disabilities, and victims of environmental crises to process trauma and reclaim their place in society. Collective creativity contributes to building shared purpose, strong communities, and imagining solutions to overcome displacement and disaster. Art empowers marginalized communities, revitalizes damaged spaces, and opens pathways to dialogue, resilience, and reconciliation. This panel explores how artists and cultural initiatives transform survival into renewal, turning pain into purpose and creativity into a foundation for long-term stability and societal healing.

Executive Summary

The panellists together explored how art turns trauma into recovery and social renewal. The conversation covered heritage preservation under bombardment, the significance of Naina Kalu's Turner Prize win for disabled artists, the therapeutic but distinct-from-therapy nature of supported creative practice, and the political weaponisation of cultural destruction by authoritarian regimes. The central argument: art is not what communities turn to after addressing serious problems; it is how they address them. Yuliia Manukian's account of helping artists reconnect rural Ukrainian communities with pre-Soviet cultural histories they had been taught to ignore was among the conference's most quietly powerful contributions, a reminder that the battle for Ukraine is also a battle over identity.

Livestream Link:  https://youtube.com/live/ldiXwZB0Z2w?feature=share