IN THE NEWS: Invisible People—From Homelessness to Hope: The Transformative Power of Art Programs

Thank you Invisible People for highlighting the importance of art in programming for unhoused populations!

Nicole Minyard, who founded Daybreak Arts in 2011 under the name “Poverty and the Arts,” agrees that some of the most revelatory impacts of art programs happen at the individual level. Daybreak Arts provides a creative space for artists and helps with resume and CV writing, which are crucial skills for artists who want to sell their art in galleries. The organization serves about 30 artists per year.

Minyard told Invisible People about one artist who would get triggered when they stayed at local shelters. One day, the artist came to the studio and started throwing paint at a canvas. The artist said doing that kept him from getting into more trouble that day because it allowed him to express his frustrations constructively. “He took it out in this therapeutic, safe environment,” Minyard said.  

“To figure out where you’re going to sleep and exist every day, you have to expound so much creativity,” she continued. “So, there’s a lot of natural creative talent already within that community, and so it’s essential to give them a safe space to access that and share it with the world.”

A Daybreak artist known as Bandy (they/them) told Invisible People that art gives them a safe place to explore the stories we internalize about ourselves. Doing so has helped them address harmful narratives that made them feel like “a huge pile of garbage” for being homeless, Bandy said. 

“At some point, you get to a point where you understand the difference between what the world is telling you and what you believe in yourself,” the 55-year-old artist continued.