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The art2art project began in February 2005 on the East Coast of Sri Lanka in the Arugambay and Pottuvil areas, where approximately 80% of homes were destroyed during the tsunami of December 2004. We now run art, handicrafts, drama, cooperative games and music activities for children of all ages and cultures in fifteen locations around Arugambay and Pottuvil. The art activities began as general free drawing and many of the early pictures depicted the tsunami. Other themes include self and family portraits, homes, camps, collages, masks, story booklets etc. We use a variety of materials most of which are bought locally: pencils, paper, crayons, paint, coloured paper, card, glue, organic materials, elastic etc. We also have a number of instruments, drums, shakers, tambourines, whistles etc. which we use to play games, sing, dance and generally make some noise!
On occasions the sessions have attracted up to seventy children, numbers usually range from around twenty to forty. The staff split into three groups and we visit three locations a day in the afternoons, after school hours. The venues include schools, temporary school shelters, foundations of ruined houses and playgrounds. Education is given high value in Sri Lanka although the style of teaching is highly competitive and regimented with little imaginative stimulation or space for self-expression. Corporal punishment is used widely. The therapeutic aspect of our work is the joy the children experience at being allowed to be creative and colourful with no right or wrong way. Working and playing in a cooperative way enables the children to practise skills that will stand them in good stead for social cohesion and community conflict resolution. Sometimes a few adults will join in the activities, and they also gain much pleasure observing the children.
We have conducted training for local teachers in art, drama and play, and sometimes act as intermediaries between villagers and NGOs, as unfortunately there is not always clear communication. We do not give any goods or donations to the children or the villagers ourselves as we feel this would interfere with the nature of the work we are doing and can create a culture of dependency. On occasion however, we have matched up requests with funders, such as bicycles for children to travel to school, schoolbooks etc.
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