Art Unites: Converting Cultural Capital into Housing
Project: Voice & Dignity / Reconstruction | Outcome: Structural Refurbishment in Irpin
This spring, we launched Art Unites, an initiative designed to translate creative expression into tangible shelter for Ukraine’s orphaned children. The goal was ambitious: to fund permanent housing for those who have lost everything to the war.
While the campaign raised $63,212—short of the capital required for our original architectural concept—we refused to let the funds sit idle. We treated this constraint as an opportunity to find a faster housing solution.
Strategic Pivot: Adaptive Reuse & Renovation Partnering with Save Ukraine, we identified an existing structure with "good bones" but poor habitability. Instead of building from scratch, we funded a comprehensive refurbishment to bring the property online immediately.
The Investment: We are deploying $40,000 to execute a full renovation, transforming the shell into a modern 3-bedroom, 1.5-bath family home in Irpin.
The Partnership: Save Ukraine is matching our investment by securing the property rights, managing utility connections, and providing long-term family support services.
The Beneficiaries: This renovation will immediately house a foster family of four—two parents and two orphaned children—moving them out of institutional care and into a private, stable home.
Maximizing ROI: Therapy & Support By choosing renovation over ground-up construction, we significantly reduced our timeline and material costs. This efficiency allowed us to direct the remaining funds toward intensive interaction therapy for children with disabilities. We increased our cost efficiency by 36%, funding not just the roof over their heads, but the developmental care they need to thrive.
Public Legacy The centerpiece artwork from the campaign is now on public display at the Ukrainian Institute of America in New York City, standing as a permanent reminder of the link between art and action. To our donors: you didn't just buy a painting; you built a home.
