Release the Fear is conflict resolution through the power of art:

• A simple and effective educational and neighborhood program that teaches our children and neighborhoods effective ways to communicate and deal with violence.
• An important public sculptural symbol made entirely of melted-down weapons conceived and executed by a Phoenix artist, and placed in the center of the crossroads of Central Avenue and Roosevelt Street. Imagine the hundreds of thousands of individuals being reminded weekly of the need to be safe in our daily lives with a sculptural symbol made of melted-down weapons.

Release the Fear consists of:

• Educational programs presented in classrooms and community-based organizations to teach our youth the danger of violence and alternative ways of dealing with conflict and anger.
• A community awareness campaign sharing a message of decreasing violence within the community.  This includes domestic violence, violence within schools, the workplace and the community.
• Violent weapons are collected statewide and melted down to cast the Release The Fear sculptural symbol.

ART IS THE CORE OF SAVING LIVES

An important, figurative sculptural symbol rising in the heart of the Phoenix's Central Avenue made of violent weapons collected statewide by the Department of Public Safety. The artist has been working on both the sculptural symbol and the neighborhood education program for several years. It is time to build the sculptural symbol and RELEASE THE FEAR!

The project is an effort of cooperation with the Community Forum (acting as fiscal agent), the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department, the City of Phoenix Streets and Transportation Department, the office of Phoenix City Council Member Phil Gordon, the Office of the Maricopa County Attorney, the Phoenix Human Relations Commission, and many neighborhood groups including N.A.I.L.E.M. and individuals.

FEAR IS THE SOURCE VIOLENCE FEEDS UPON

The Release The Fear sculptural symbol will be constructed from confiscated and donated weapons. Pieces of weapons will remain recognizable near the base of the sculptural symbol, with metal fusing into metal as the fear rises and is released through the open arms of the human "Phoenix" rising. The finished sculptural symbol will stand twenty-two feet tall.

The vision of the project is to turn negative into positive, to create balance to inspire empathy to reconnect and build community and to heal and release the fear.

The goal is to offer a recognizable place of healing for victims of violence of, offer hope to survivors and to the community. To create a physical symbol of the metamorphosis from the visible weapons at the base to the open arms of the sculptural symbol to the open areas of release. A place and a neighborhood program to bring diverse people together, since violence does not discriminate. To inspire people to reflect on the solution of the problem of violence and to bring victims and survivors out of isolation and back into the community as they begin to understand and release their fear.

Make a difference in YOUR world

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Conflict RESOLUTION through the POWER OF ART

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Our vision for this project is to see it anywhere where needed … if you think it can make a difference in your world, please pass it on.

info@releasethefear.org