2020 Honoree: Arts and Society Award

Catherine O’Neill Thorn
Catherine O’Neill Thorn

In a society that negatively stigmatizes mental health, Catherine O’Neill Thorn has created an outlet for some of Denver’s most disadvantaged youth through Art from Ashes. Using a nationally recognized and award-winning curriculum, Art from Ashes (AfA) starts with pen, paper and poetry for creative transformation through artistic expression. Founded in 2003, AfA is the first youth arts agency in Colorado to use this approach, focusing on youth ages 9-24 years old.

Catherine, a published poet, writer, and journalist, is no stranger to using poetry and literature to transform lives. In 1992 she developed the Phoenix Rising transformational writing process, and used it in treatment centers, probation departments, and held weekly poetry sessions for three years for Columbine students after the shooting tragedy in 1999. Within this program, students gave a public reading attended by international media, and in 2000, O’Neill Thorn published Screams Aren’t Enough, a compilation of poetry written by the Columbine students, which won the Colorado Book Award. After major funding cuts to youth organizations and art programs in the state, Catherine began Art from Ashes to continue serving Colorado’s struggling young people.

Art from Ashes, which has served more than 14,000 youth, uses creative workshops focused on poetry (Phoenix Rising) and visual art activities (Drawing on Air) to encourage self-expression. These workshops offer youth the ability to connect with facilitators, artists, and the community. AfA has partnered with 180 youth-serving agencies, including schools, to offer programs that give an alternative to the often destructive and unhealthy behaviors associated with violence, poverty, racism, and depression that impacts today’s youth.

For her work with Art from Ashes, Catherine O’Neill Thorn has received many awards. Some of the most notable include the Community “Artivist” Award by the Pan African Arts society in 2006, Westword’s Mastermind Award for Literary Arts in 2008, the 2011 Women’s Information Network Outstanding Service Award, “Community Leader” honor from Beanstalk Foundation, and recognized as a Colorado Creative in 2018. Further, under the leadership of O’Neill Thorn, Art from Ashes was awarded the Cherry Creek Diversity Conference Human Rights Award, the American Association of Law Libraries Black Caucus Award, the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Certificate of Excellence, SAMHSA’s Service to Science Award, The Denver Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, including the 2018 award for Arts & Culture Youth Award, and has been honored by The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities as one of the top 50 youth arts organizations in the country an impressive five times.

Catherine’s work and impact exemplifies the intention of this award – improving the lives of young people through the power of art and creative expression.