INAC India recently designed and facilitated an artivism workshop for women participating in The Anonymous Indians’ Threads of Life program. The session was held in Devanahalli with the intention of creating a gentle, reflective space where women could explore ideas of dignity, care, and voice through creative expression.

Approach and intention

The workshop was built on a belief that art can be a powerful way to open conversations that are often difficult to speak about directly. Rather than asking participants to “share their story from the start,” the design used creative materials and carefully sequenced prompts to invite expression gradually. This allowed women to move from familiar, safe themes — such as care for family — toward questions about themselves, without pressure or expectation.

Every part of the session was shaped with intention: from the choice of materials to the pacing of activities and the way facilitators held space for reflection. The goal was to create emotional safety so that participants could engage honestly, without feeling judged or exposed.

What emerged

The responses from the women were honest and revealing. Many participants expressed care for their children, families, and loved ones, while finding it more challenging to articulate what they wanted specifically for themselves. This pattern became one of the most important learnings of the workshop: it highlighted both the depth of women’s care and responsibility, and the need for more spaces where women can turn focus inward and explore what they personally need and want.

Through simple creative activities, the session helped create space for reflection on:

• How women carry care, responsibility, and identity in their daily lives

• The tension between caring for others and honoring one’s own needs

• How voice and self-recognition can grow slowly, through shared creative practice

Why this matters

For INAC India, this workshop reinforced that facilitation is not just about running activities. It is about designing a process that can hold care, trust, and gradual reflection. When done thoughtfully, artivism can become a way to open space for women to reflect, express, and begin to see themselves as whole people with their own voices.

Recognition and gratitude

We are deeply grateful to The Anonymous Indians Trust for making this workshop possible and for supporting this meaningful work with rural women in Devanahalli. Thanks to the women who participated with openness, honesty, and courage. Their reflections and responses were the heart of the session and continue to shape how INAC India approaches future workshops.