Don’t you just love it when your kids bring home artwork they made for you? I remember how excited I was when my daughter made her first piece of art. She’s 25 now and recently has been taking an art class at teachers’ college and I’m still filled with pride and joy when she shows me something she has made. My little grand niece and grand nephew love when I walk through the door of their house carrying my art bag because they know that means we’ll spend the afternoon creating. And because of them, I still have a refrigerator full of kid art that makes me smile every time I walk into my kitchen.
Recently I learned about #BuyArtNotKids and the idea really spoke to me. BANK raises awareness and money through art to support Ratanak International – a Canadian charity that rescues and rehabilitates child sex trafficking victims in Cambodia. The very idea that the children I love have been able to sing and dance and play and make art while others are being exploited is just heartbreaking. Often when faced with such tragedy, we may think, “What can we do?”. BANK provides us with a tangible way to help. And what better way to help than through art?
On April 4th, 2014 a silent art auction will be held to raise money for these children. The auction is hosted by the BANK committee of volunteers in partnership with Havergal College in Toronto. The event, while raising awareness about child sex trafficking, will include live music, performance art, raffle prizes, delicious food and wine, and most importantly, an opportunity for you to purchase beautiful art by notable Canadian artists.
BANK Art Auction – Location: Havergal College – 1451 Avenue Road, Toronto ON, M5N 2H9 Tickets are $75 with all proceeds going to Ratanak International’s Trafficking Prevention Program
For those not in the Greater Toronto Area, BANK also accepts donations online from their website. Your support funds programs at the community level in many rural villages, educating families on the signs and dangers of trafficking. Hear Brian McConaghy, executive director and founder speak about the program here.
Those who know me, know that I’ve long supported non-profit organizations that use art for good. They sum it up perfectly on the BANK website:
Art Can Change Everything
Art can build up, or tear down; it can raise hope or trigger devastation. It communicates truth, or spreads lies. But can art really change the world? Without acting on it, the change that art points us towards is lost. Art itself cannot change the world, but art can change people. And people can change the world! The Buy Art Not Kids Art Auction will celebrate the connection between art and its call-to-action by showcasing ‘art that inspires’. – Buy Art Not Kids
Please consider helping BANK – even just sharing this blog post and spreading the word is a big help! I’d also like to invite you to join in on March 20th for a Twitter Party with fantastic prizes. More details to come.
Rachelle Kearns (Founder, Buy Art Not Kids) says
I love the fact that you do art with your grand niece and nephew. What a great, great-aunt you are! Thank you for you support. We hope to see you there!
Stephanie Bondlow says
That is great you support this organization. What a beautiful way to heal after tragedy for these girls. My heart breaks for them, and art is so therapeutic.
Wanda Tracey says
This review is so inspirational.I love that you participate in art for this great cause.I love all children’s art and I have framed some of my own children’s art.They are more valuable to me than other more expensive things I have in my home.
K-Squared says
Being I had a rough childhood, where the principals, teachers and students teased me not to mention Boy Scout Masters and Scouts within the troop – the one that hit me the most was when the statement “I have told you once and it bears repeating… ‘my name’, you would never make it in this world!” It was during this time I was taking advanced courses. And later on moved to another location, took up home-school courses and joined a different troop. Later on, little did I know my future was heading in all directions – I was recently injured in an accident where the driver left the scene and came back & had no insurance! So I have many student loans and medical bills needing to be paid; I have done what I could from selling my computer (laptop), software, sports gear and collectors items just to put a small .01% payment to the hospital for bills that otherwise would have the collectors calling more frequently! These (children) girls seen here are blessed to have a way to get such tragedy off their mind, as mentioned above, but I have always had to just hold things inside as I was taught “respect your elders”… Therein I send my prayers and hopes that with the encouragement from persons like you, the children will grow up and become a success!