Reception for The Opioid Project to take place Dec. 8 in Milton’s Wotiz Gallery

The Opioid Project and What Does Teen Mental Health Look Like in Milton exhibits now in Milton

Exhibit Reception: December 8th, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Wotiz Gallery, Milton Public Library

Exhibit will be open from Nov. 14 – Dec. 29, 2022

The Milton Coalition is involved in two exhibits which opened at the Wotiz Gallery at the Milton Public Library on November 14th.

The first is called, “The Opioid Project: Changing Perceptions Through Art and Storytelling.” In this interactive display, residents of Milton – all of whom have been impacted by the Opioid epidemic – gathered together with Boston-based artist Nancy Marks, and Health Story Collaborative founder Annie Brewster, to form a safe space to process their personal experiences through creating collages and sharing stories. These stories became audio recordings, and together with the art, they contextualize and bring to life the human costs of the opioid epidemic. The finished work will be shown in the Wotiz Gallery from 11/14 through the end of December 2022. Each art collage will be paired with its recorded audio story, and these stories are powerful. The art and stories that came out of this workshop will be used in the organization’s prevention and education work here in Milton.

The Opioid Project exhibit will be paired with a display of art created by Milton youth as they responded to the question: “What does teen mental health look like in Milton today?” The Milton Coalition believes in amplifying the voices of young people. Youth mental health is in a crisis right now, and substance use disorders co-occur at high prevalence with mental disorders. These powerful expressions by young people are a close look at what they are experiencing in their lives today.

The exhibits are part of a large collaborative project between The Milton Coalition and the Forbes House Museum. The Forbes House display is called: “Opium: The Business of Addiction.”

The Forbes display has two parts: at the Forbes House Museum, you can learn about the Forbes family’s involvement in the 19th century opium trade, its links to the current opioid epidemic, and its lasting impact on U.S.-Sino relations. On the 2nd floor of the Milton Public Library, you can learn about the current opioid epidemic and its tragic impact on individuals and families in Milton and across the country.

Please see the Forbes House Museum website for more information about Opium: The Business of Addiction: www.forbeshousemuseum.org

And for more information about the Milton Coalition, including important resources to combat youth substance use, go to: www.milton-coalition.org or email [email protected]