As part of the University of Chapel Hill’s Arts Everywhere programming, the Red Zone Initiative references the alarming statistic that between the first day of Fall semester and Thanksgiving, 50% of all sexual assaults will occur on campus. In response, UNC instituted a program which would grant students a safe space to find resources, discuss sexual violence both with other students and with university staff as well as visiting artists and organizations. Art Against Assault was honored to be invited to present a workshop as well as an installation as part of this programming. The workshop encouraged student-directed discussion regarding gender violence, street harassment, cyber stalking, and other forms of violence combined with short art therapy exercises to encourage students to express themselves in multiple ways. Additionally, an interactive installation was set up for two days in front of Lenoir Hall- a major crossroads for students traversing the campus. The installation included a wearable sculpture outfitted with a proximity sensor. When students approached the sculpture at a close distance, a video discussing street harassment would be triggered.
For more about this programming, please see the write up by Arts Everywhere at: https://artseverywhere.unc.edu/red-zone-initiative-art-against-assault/
