Sunday, March 24, 10:30 am–
heART Space: Compassion Building Around Overdose –
Dr. Marion Selfridge, Homilist –
Fran Pardee, Worship Associate –
heART space, a one month pop-up art show using an empty storefront in Victoria, stemmed from a series of conversations, research projects, and ongoing collaborative efforts with current and formerly street-involved youth, front-line workers, and others affected by the current overdose or toxic drug crisis.
It showcased art created by people who have died from overdose, art created to memorialize and honour those who have died, and art produced from those who have been impacted by overdose. By directly involving youth in all
aspects of the project, the participatory, collaborative, and community-engaged arts practices used during heART space created alternate avenues for support and dialogue concerning substance use, homelessness, and grief.
Dr. Marion Selfridge is a research manager, focusing on HIV and Hepatitis C treatment at the Cool Aid Community Health Centre and post-doctoral researcher at UVic’s Canadian Institute of Substance Use Research. Her PhD dissertation research focused on street-involved youths’ use of social media to deal with grief and loss. She teaches dance to st
ay sane.