NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Thirty portraits are on display at Hotel Downstreet, part of an initiative to use the arts and storytelling to humanize substance abuse disorder.
“Into Light” opens this weekend will be on display through June 30, daily from 8 to 8. It is sponsored by the HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Coalition, Berkshire Health Systems, and several trusts and organizations. Hotel Downstreet donated that gallery space.
The exhibit opened on Friday, with a reception on Thursday (at right).
“Our coalition’s goals are to bolster harm reduction, treatment and recovery supports, and our other goal, obviously, is to reduce or to address the root causes of addiction and substance use disorder,” Anna Youngmann, North County community coordinator, told the City Council.
“We focus on building collaboration among a wide range of community sectors, including service providers, first responders, elected officials and community members and individuals with lived experience.”
The coalition is administered through the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission and supported by opioid settlement funds from eight North County municipalities including North Adams.