Crossing Point Arts

Über uns

Crossing Point Arts offers our services to any anti-trafficking agencies that are committed to helping survivors overcome their trauma. Since 2013, when we launched our workshops at Polaris Project in Newark, NJ, our work has been embraced by these agencies and noted for the creative and therapeutic approach we take, which has proven to be an integral aspect of survivors healing processes.
Crossing Point Arts was named in honor of the inconceivably difficult journeys people must take — and have taken throughout history — to reach freedom from enslavement and exploitation. Our organization name also speaks to the profoundly healing qualities of creative work, which we invite survivors of trafficking to engage in toward inner liberation. The point that is crossed internally for our workshop participants through creativity and self-expression is a point of departure from trauma toward wholeness, expansion, integration and the intrinsic freedom that is their birthright.

Mission Statement
Our mission is to bring the healing and restorative power of the arts to survivors of human trafficking through expressive arts workshops, helping them to release trauma, reclaim their once-silenced voices and learn long-term coping strategies.

Vision Statement
Through our measurably effective approach, creative engagement awakens inner liberation, reigniting the spark of life that has been repressed by experiences of exploitation. As survivors forge a path beyond trauma, our Teaching Artists support their talents, self-validation, growth and healing.

What we do
• Crossing Point Arts strives to provide support and professionally guided rehabilitation to participants in their journey of personal and collective restoration. Workshops led by paid Teaching Artists - all active artists in their respective areas of music, dance, theater, visual arts and writing - provide survivors with therapeutic tools in a safe environment of self-expression, enrichment, empowerment and community building.
• Each week we show up to teach workshops to survivors a variety of workshop in the Bronx, Queens, Lower Manhattan, Central Harlem and East Harlem. We conduct ongoing workshops at GEMS (Girls Education and Mentoring Service), WomanKind EMPOWERGyn, Lifeway Network, Sanar Institute, anti-trafficking agencies in the NYC area which bring comprehensive aid to help rebuild the lives of survivors with housing, therapy, medical and childcare, education, legal support and job training.

Programs:
• CPArts Workshops: Visual Arts Workshop; We Dance: We Are; Nigerian Fiber Arts; Voice Journey; Song Creation; Indian Classical Singing Workshop; Contemporary Hip-hop Fusion Dance Workshop; Instrumental Music
• Freedom Made It: Our efforts to help survivors towards job preparedness and find gainful employment has pushed us to start a Social Enterprise/Mentorship Program, called: Freedom Made It. Hand crafted items are designed and created by participants in the program, which are for sale on our Shop Page. Survivors are also offered seminars in the basic skills of building, owning and running a small online retail enterprise. This includes business writing, basic bookkeeping, product photography, web-page building, and much more.
• Teaching Artist Training Initiative: Teaching Artist Training Initiative (TATI) is a program that Crossing Point Arts launched in 2018, providing training for survivors to lead their own arts workshops, as Teaching Artists.
• Crossing Point Arts Exhibitions: Since 2015 Crossing Point Arts has brought the focus to Survivor Art in our Art Exhibitions and Sales - open to the public. These are significant experiences for participants as their artwork is acknowledged (and purchased!) and has helped them to identify with the experience of creativity as a source of thriving.

Anne H. Pollack is the Founder & Executive Director of Crossing Point Arts.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.