What we want to do
We are opening an Art School for Refugee Children in Vilnius — a safe and inspiring space where children from Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia can express themselves through art, imagination, and creation.
Classes will be held twice a week for small groups of 12–13 children, giving each child personal attention and space to grow. The lessons will be led by women artists who themselves have survived political repression — Belarusian and Ukrainian painters, illustrators, and art teachers who lost their studios and livelihoods because of their civic stance.
Now, in exile, they want to share what helped them survive: art, freedom, and beauty.
Why this is needed
Many refugee children in Lithuania live in cramped housing, without privacy or creative outlets. They carry trauma from war, fear, and exile. Schools rarely have art programmes that allow emotional release or self-expression.
For these children, art is not a hobby — it is therapy. It helps them process fear, regain confidence, and rediscover joy. Creating something beautiful with their own hands gives them a sense of control and dignity after everything they lost.
At the same time, for the exiled artists who teach them, this project restores purpose, income, and connection.
Budget goal: €2,000 per month
Cost breakdown (for 1 month, 8 sessions):
- 2 art teachers per session (€100 each × 8 sessions × 2 teachers): €1,600
- Venue rental (€100 per session × 8 sessions): €800
- Art materials (paints, brushes, paper, clay, fabric, etc.): €250
Total monthly cost: €2,650
If we raise more
Every additional €330 allows us to open one more class per week for another 12 refugee children, expanding access step by step.
Why it matters
Each painting, sculpture, or handmade creation in this art school is more than art — it’s a step toward healing. Refugee children learn to see themselves as capable, creative, and free. Exiled artists regain their voice and pass on resilience through beauty.
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