Skip to main content

NCRJ Art Entry #018 - Open Mic - Artist: Elizabeth Betesh

Layout Builder

Artist Statement:

An open mic...Is it a place, a time or an instrument for an introduction, a fresh start, or new beginning?  For me, this image represents a moment in time. Not just any moment, a break-through moment, when a voice becomes elevated and is heard. A moment set aside for a new voice, a fresh voice or a previously unheard voice. While a microphone may just be a physical object, the moment of being heard becomes something large and life-changing. Restorative practices, like an open mic, offer a place, a time and a tool for being heard.  And, being heard leads people to feeling valued, affirmed and connected.  This image includes words surrounding the microphone that reference love, healing and the significance of being heard.  So... is it an open mic? Or, is it a moment in time for connection, affirmation, being heard and feeling loved?

Location: USA

This project is supported by Grant No. 2020-MU-CX-K001 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view, images, or opinions in this document and are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.