Freedom In Creation: A Benefit Concert and Art Exhibition
Musician and activist Alex Mejias believes that art can solve many problems and plans on doing that to help children in Northern Uganda.
His latest project, the Freedom In Creation Tour is a concert and art exhibition to benefit the work of Freedom In Creation, an arts-based education program aimed to help war affected children in Northern Uganda.
The group's goal is to raise awareness retgarding the plight of the people caught in the midst of a civil war between the government and Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army, a rebel group that makes extensive use of kidnapping children and making child soldiers.
The staple program of the organization is a once-a-week art program for these displaced children, combatants and non-combatants alike.
"We're really using art as a means of therapy for these children," Mejias says. "The response has been so positive that it's grown to include other community projects as well."
Visiting six cities from June 12 to June 18, Freedom in Creation hopes to raise $10,000 for its weekly art sessions and fresh water well projects in the refugee camps of northern Uganda.
Each night of the tour will showcase the work of child artists and will feature performances by Mejias and pop-rock band Tim Be Told.
Freedom In Creation Founder and President Andrew Briggs will also be presenting a short film and speaking on the organization's work in Koro Abili.
The event takes place on June 16 at Gallery 5 and has two more stops in Virginia Beach and Charlottesville later this week.
"People can expect to learn about everything that's going on in northern Uganda," Mejias says. "They'll learn the plight of the people living there, the needs of community and what needs to be done. It'll also be a fun night to listen to good music and see how talented these kids are."
Andrew Cothern is an avid music fan and writer. Check out his stories weekly on Richmond.com
Please sign in to respond | | Register