LIFT EVERY HAND! A previous year's Hands of Peace performance. (Submitted photos)

After a COVID-induced pause, Bared Feet has resumed the biannual Hands of Peace program. All children, K-12, are invited to come, create, and perform art, music, drama, poetry, and dance. This year’s focus is Sustainability.

Bared Feet’s Lynn Buske founded Hands of Peace in 2015. She sees a direct connection between the arts and wellness, stating the “arts have always been a tool in my life to make sense of the world.” Bared Feet’s philosophy aligns with this: the arts are an important wellness tool. Buske sees this program as a way for kids to tap into that dynamic.

Hands of Peace helps children access art and performance in ways they may not have before. “The vast majority of participants have not had the experience of performing, and through working on a project in a team and showing it to others publicly I have seen these kids find confidence and capability they never knew they had,” Buske says.

Hands of Peace happens between 4:30 and 6pm every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, beginning Feb. 21 and ending March 30 at the Chippewa Valley Montessori Charter School, 400 Cameron St. Bared Feet, a local nonprofit, facilitates this free program. The Immanuel Trust Fund and Lou and Jan Frase are sponsors. Learn more at www.baredfeet.co or Bared Feet’s Facebook page.

The final performances Wednesday and Thursday, April 5-6, from 5-6pm at Chippewa Valley Montessori Charter School in Eau Claire.