Art-Based Peace-Building
at New Arrivals Institute
May 12-13, 2025
On May 12 and 13, 2025, approximately 30 staff members from the New Arrivals Institute (NAI)
in Greensboro, NC, participated in a two-day workshop focused on the use of creative and
expressive arts in peacebuilding. Designed as a professional development opportunity, the
workshop introduced participants to the power of art in processing trauma, building community,
and fostering social change.
About the Host Organization
The New Arrivals Institute is a nonprofit
organization committed to supporting
refugees and immigrants as they adjust to
life in the United States. Through English
language instruction, workforce readiness
programs, early childhood education, and
access to health and social services, NAI
empowers newcomers to achieve self-sufficiency
and thrive in their new
communities.
Workshop Facilitators
The workshop was led by Dr. Jeremy Rinker and Dr. Daniel Rhodes, along with Sejla Kalender, an
M.S. candidate in Peace and Conflict Studies. Together, they brought a depth of academic,
practical, and cultural expertise to guide participants through art-based peacebuilding practices.
Workshop Overview
Over two half-days, the facilitators led
participants through a series of activities centered
on artistic expression and circle-based dialogue,
aiming to introduce this method and give
participants the ability to use it with their NAI
clients. The workshop emphasized that the goal
was not artistic perfection, but meaningful self-expression,
community listening, and storytelling.
Day 1 Highlights
The first day of the workshop began with
introductions to the facilitators and NAI
staff, followed by an explanation of the
circle process, including its shared values
and guiding principles. Participants were
invited to contribute additional values,
fostering a collective agreement and sense
of shared ownership. The facilitators then
emphasized that this workshop was not
about being a perfect artist, but about using
creativity as a means of personal and
communal expression.
The main activity of the day was the creation of
a “River of Life”, a painting that symbolically
represented each participant’s life journey,
highlighting key moments, transitions, and
challenges. After completing their paintings,
participants reconvened in the circle to reflect
on their work through guided questions such
as, “How would you map the traumatic or
meaningful events in your life on a river?” This
exercise provided a powerful opportunity for
storytelling, empathy, and connection among
the NAI staff.
Day 2 Highlights
On the second day, participants were asked to bring a sentimental or personally
meaningful item to share with the group during the opening circle. These stories helped to
deepen the trust and emotional resonance within the group. The day continued with a new
artistic activity using clay. Participants were invited to sculpt a portrait or sculpture that
represented who they are today, shaped by the life journey they depicted in the “River of
Life” exercise.
Afterward, they gathered in the circle once
again to reflect on their creative process
through guiding questions such as, “What
moments in your life shaped who you are
today?” “How does your journey connect to
the larger community or peace-building?” and
“How do our portraits show both our
differences and our hopes?” This connection
between the two days activities made clear
the power of facilitated circle process. The
second day reinforced the value of creativity
as a tool for processing lived experience and
building bridges across diverse backgrounds,
one of IPH’s guiding aims.
Reflections
This workshop powerfully illustrated how art can be used as a tool for healing, connection, and
transformation. Participants engaged deeply with their own experiences and those of others,
building empathy and understanding across cultural and social identities. Through hands-on
creativity and intentional listening, the group explored how our stories, told through paint and
clay can guide us toward peaceful change. By equipping NAI staff with these expressive tools
and methods, the workshop supports the both the IPH’s and NAI organization’s mission and
prepares participants to extend this learning to the clients they serve.
