Santa Cruz County has a vibrantly creative network of visual artists, writers, musicians, composers, performers, and other creators, and authentic self-expression can be a powerful tool against the shame and isolation that often follows from domestic violence.

Below are some of the ways that survivors can explore forms of creative self-expression through Walnut Avenue. If you’re a creator who would like to partner with us to help expand our capacity and what we can offer, check out our “Partnerships & Collaboration” page!

Visual Arts:
Survivor Art Exhibition

When: annually in early October (Domestic Violence Awareness Month)
Where: 303 Walnut Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Admission fee: free
Artist participation fee: free (registration opens in spring)

The annual art exhibition, hosted at Walnut Avenue’s historic Victorian house, features works created by survivors of domestic violence in a variety of mediums and compositions. The walk-through exhibition is free and open to the general public as an insight into the complexities, struggles, and realities of experiencing domestic violence. The artists, most of whom are Santa Cruz locals, range from hobbyists to professionals and come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.

Artist registration typically opens during spring and closes at the end of summer prior to the October exhibition.

Due to the sensitive and/or graphic nature of some of the works, viewer discretion is advised.

Interested in registering as a participating artist or picking up your free ticket?
Visit 2024 Art Exhibition - “Harm / Hope.”

Written Arts:
Survivor Voices

Survivor Voices is an ongoing digital library project in which survivors of domestic violence may share their own story in their own words. The purpose is to give survivors another opportunity for self-expression; for other survivors to see the ways in which they’re not alone; and to remind our community that, behind all the general statistics and faceless numbers, domestic violence impacts real, living, breathing people.

Survivors of all genders and ages are welcome to share their story.

To learn more about the project,
view the current library,
or to access the submission form,
visit Survivor Voices Project.