NW MI Arts & Culture Network

Stories that Heal was a Community Partners project conducted January through June 2022 that connected across Benzie County, using the arts to address trauma and resiliency. Led by artist and composer Molly Sturges, the project brought many together – the Benzonia and Benzie Shores Libraries, BACN, The Garden Theater, Oliver Arts Center, Grow Benzie, musicians, writers, singers, therapists, those who experienced great loss and those still working through. There were facilitated story circles, a pop-up choir that met weekly, calls for writers and community talks. All came together on 5/15 for a public performance and discussion. Interlochen Public Radio is sharing the project, the music, the process and the impact in a series of podcasts.

Learn more about the project through these resources and recordings:

• Video recordings from the 5/15/2022 Community Concert. Link to YouTube recordings here.
• Interlochen Public Radio Podcast series, including individual stories and bonus music tracks for each trauma journey, story and original music created. Link here
• Community concert program, 5/15/2022. Including trauma resources, artists, community partners, director’s notes and lyrics. Link here.
• Project overview & programming, 1/15-6/15/2022. Link here
• Traverse City Record Eagle coverage, 4/17/2022. Link here.

The Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Network received one of 12 Community Partner grants awarded in Michigan by Arts Midwest and Michigan Arts & Culture Council (MACC). The Community Partners program goal is to encourage community collaborations with artists and culture bearers to explore local issues, where collaborative artmaking is integral to daily lives and is valued as a tool for community development. The awards by Arts Midwest and MACC were funded through the National Endowment for the Arts with American Recovery Program funding. Additional funding was received by the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation.