Art, social work and advocacy intersect to stand against sexual violence

Corrie Hartley’s decision to pursue social work didn’t come from a single moment, but from a gradual realization that her creative skills and desire to support people could be woven together into something more impactful.

Born and raised in Lethbridge, Hartley earned an art degree from the University of Lethbridge in 2016 and initially planned to become a teacher. Alongside her studies, she worked in direct support roles with people with disabilities, work she found deeply meaningful for its relational, one-on-one focus. 

Over time, however, she became increasingly aware of the structural barriers facing the people she supported.

“I saw how much care and effort went into supporting individuals, but I also saw how limited that support could be without someone advocating within larger systems,” Hartley says. 

Watching social workers navigate those systems — advocating, co-ordinating services and pushing for change — helped clarify her next step. 

Social work offered a way to combine compassion with action, and individual support with systemic advocacy. In 2023, she enrolled in the Bachelor of Social Work program at the Lethbridge campus of the University of Calgary's Faculty of Social Work, beginning while six months pregnant and supported by a close-knit cohort and faculty community.

Art as an aid in difficult conversations

Once in the program, Hartley quickly realized she didn’t have to leave her artistic practice behind. During her final semester as an art student, she was involved in curatorial work at the Galt Museum and with the University of Lethbridge Gallery, experiences that reshaped how she understood the role of art in public life. There, she saw how thoughtfully curated exhibitions could bring people together across differences in language, culture and lived experience, and how art could invite difficult conversations in ways that felt accessible and human.

“Art in public spaces doesn’t ask people to have the same background or perspective,” she says. “It just asks them to look, reflect and engage.”

That perspective carried into her social work studies and came into focus during her community-based practicum, where students conduct independent investigations with local organizations. While visiting the Chinook Sexual Assault Centre (CSAC) in Lethbridge, Hartley learned about Impact Unveiled: Beyond the Silence, a community art exhibition launched last spring in recognition of Sexual Violence Awareness Month. The open call invited artists to explore themes of resilience, healing and justice, a natural fit for Hartley’s combined interests in art, trauma-informed practice and advocacy.

We Stand a powerful visual statement

Rather than submitting an individual piece, Hartley saw an opportunity to create something collective with her incredibly supportive cohort. 

She brought the idea back to her classmates during their weekly practicum meetings and shared a rough concept for a collaborative artwork piece for the exhibition that would reflect shared values of solidarity and resistance to violence. The response was immediate and enthusiastic, with students from multiple cohorts volunteering to participate.

Together, they created We Stand, a large-scale mixed-media piece composed of individual circular designs contributed by each student. Hartley cut and reassembled the circles into a unified composition, symbolizing the breaking of harmful cycles and the creation of new, resilient patterns. Across the centre, bold lettering delivers the work’s central message: "We stand."

“For me, standing isn’t passive,” Hartley says. “It’s visible. It’s a declaration that we’re not going to look away.”

Displayed alongside the artwork, the artist statement reinforces that message, describing the piece as “a powerful visual statement of unity and empowerment,” and, “a bold declaration of our commitment to those who endure hardship.” The project also reflects the broader ethos of social work: collective responsibility, advocacy and community care.

Piece a collaborative effort

The official exhibition at the Yates Memorial Theatre in Lethbridge concluded in September, after which We Stand was given to CSAC as a permanent donation and it was hung in the organization’s lobby. Hartley is quick to credit the project’s success to the collective effort behind it, including fellow students and community members Elton and Bradley Henrie, and Benson Hartley, who donated their time and skills to help construct the canvas.

Now heading into her final practicum and planning for graduation in 2026, Hartley hopes to continue integrating art into her social work practice. Her long-term goal is to pursue graduate studies and training in expressive and art-based therapies, with a focus on children and families.

“I didn’t realize at first that all these parts of my life — art, disability support, social work — were connected,” she says. “This project helped me see that they don’t compete with each other. They strengthen each other.”

For Hartley, We Stand is both a culmination and a beginning: a reflection of her journey into social work, and a reminder that creativity can be a powerful form of advocacy when rooted in community.