ABSTRACT
The arts provide a means to process, communicate, and make sense of one’s experiences and emotions. Crucially, art-making allows for a non-verbal conversation, which in context with global exchange can enable authentic communication despite linguistic and cultural differences. This chapter describes a collaborative project between an arts-based international collective and a Sri Lankan school in a Tamil community. It demonstrates how art therapy theory can be useful in guiding effective, community-focused work in conflict-affected areas. Themes of witnessing, attunement, and play emerge as having meaningful roles in building sustainably minded cross-cultural relationships with individuals and communities.
