COLUMBUS, OH – (43215) Southeast Healthcare announces the Art of Recovery fundraiser on Friday, November 1, 2019 at the Columbus Museum of Art. The fundraiser benefits Southeast’s Fresh A.I.R. Gallery (Artists in Recovery.) The gallery exists to support artists living with mental illness and/or addiction disorders. Southeast proudly owns and operates the gallery located at 131 North High Street in downtown Columbus. For 15 years, the gallery has been an integral part of the Columbus art scene by educating the community and working to break down the stigma of mental illness and/or substance use disorders by bringing focus to the artistic vision.
This year’s event will be held on Friday, November 1, with a special VIP Sponsors Reception from 5:00-6:00 pm and General Admission starting at 6:00 pm at the Columbus Museum of Art. The event runs until 10:00 pm that evening.
Each year the Art of Recovery honors a person or organization with a Recovery Award at the event. The Recovery Award recognizes efforts by community leaders who have worked to promote recovery and end stigma about mental illness. The annual award honors individuals, groups, or organizations whose work opens doors for people living with mental illness so they may have a true place in the community.
This year’s Recovery Award Recipient is Mr. Jim Arter. Mr. Arter is a Columbus based visual artist, activist, award-winning arts educator, and avid gardener. One of the highlights of Mr. Arter’s life has been his work with children and young people as an artist and advocate, pioneering programs for at-risk kids through collaborations with the Greater Columbus Arts Council, Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority, city and federal governments. He was the Associate Artist for the Community Arts Education Program of the Greater Columbus Arts Council and co- founder of the Children of the Future program, an arts based after school program for inner-city youth ages five to twelve.
A half a century ago, Jim Arter was as a young gay man in central Ohio whose struggle with acceptance, rejection and depression had landed him in Upham Hall at The Ohio State University medical campus for six months. He immersed himself in art classes and met others with a shared anguish and his road to recovery began.
Jim is one of the original designers of the Art for Life art auction that benefits Equitas Health. In 2012 Jim was a finalist for the Jefferson Awards and in 2011 he was inducted as a Living Legend in Who’s Who in GLBT Columbus. Jim is the recipient of the 2009 Ohio Art League Centennial Anniversary Honoree, recognizing 100 people for their outstanding contributions in support of the visual arts in Ohio. In 2008, Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus “Forte Award” to a person whose life has been dedicated to the arts and to making community a better place for all to live and work.
For more information about the Art of Recovery, contact Myken Pullins at 614.370-6640 or pullinsm@southeastinc.com.
Fresh A.I.R. Gallery is a project of Southeast, Inc., a 501 (c) 3 non-profit healthcare organization celebrating 40 years of service that provides mental health, drug and alcohol treatment, vocational services, homeless services, residential treatment, and primary health care and dental care services to diverse populations in our community, with a special focus on those with severe and persistent mental illness and/or substance use disorders.