Creating Confidence 
in Relationship Choices

Understanding dating violence, domestic violence, and sexual assault
via
Prevention, Intervention and Expressive Arts Programming
for
Middle & High Schools, Colleges, Domestic Violence Networks 
and Community Organizations

Empowerment through
Storytelling, Interpretive Movement & Music
Experiential Workshops & Artist Residencies

SafeArt uses the expressive arts to address the issues of dating violence, domestic violence and sexual assault. The program looks at models of healthy versus abusive relationships and aims to create confidence in making positive relationship choices.

The primary goal of SafeArt is to inform and empower through storytelling, interpretive movement and music. The immediacy of performance and the personal involvement in experiential workshops engage participants' feelings as well as their intellects, making it relevant to their own lives. The topic most frequently raised by students is that of living in a household or extended family rife with domestic violence. Working with school staff, we ensure that support for those in abusive environments is readily available and that everyone is given the local hotline number.

SafeArt offers experiential workshops and artist residencies for middle and high schools, colleges, community organizations and domestic violence networks.

Two original performances, WEDDING DRESSES and REMEMBER MY NAME (RMN) are available. Other program formats also work well, such as meeting with one class at a time in an informal presentation of the RMN material, followed by discussion. In one high school, Tracy worked with a Women's Study class to create original stories, and integrate them with the RMN script for a presentation to the rest of the high school. Receiving this message from their peers made a profound impact.

SafeArt began by working in collaboration with Safeline, the agency providing support for survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault in Orange and northern Windsor counties in Vermont. While Safeline will continue to be our fiscal agent and partner within their service area, SafeArt is ready to travel anywhere, state and nationwide.

SafeArt is supported by the Vermont Women's Fund and other private organizations.

If you would like to donate to SafeArt you may use this PayPal link here or send a check to:

SafeArt PO Box 251 Chelsea, VT 05038

We are flexible and eager to make this program meet your needs. Fees range from $200-$1200. Help with funding ideas is available and SafeArt fits into the categories of Prevention, Intervention and Arts programming.

To discuss bringing a SafeArt program to your school or organization, please contact Tracy Penfield at 802-685-3138

"Tracy Penfield and her group were able to teach and move the hearts of our high school students and teachers in dealing with the sensitive topics of dating and domestic violence. Rochester School was fortunate to have a performance by this amazing group."
Ilene S. Levitt, Ed.D., Principal

"Tracy Penfield's SafeArt is a creative way to explore the impact of violence in a very personal way. The individual stories that our students heard and the variety of ways that the students heard those stories made an impact on a broad audience.

This program offered a creative way to present material that is very difficult to discuss. It is much needed information that students and adults often have a difficult time hearing. I encourage you to support this creative program."
Ellen Fox-Christie, R.N.
School nurse for Rochester High School