For 20 years, The Well’s True Body Project has helped young people connect with their stories, their bodies, and their communities through art and embodiment. What began in 2005 with a simple “yes” from ArtWorks and support from Procter & Gamble has grown into a nationally recognized initiative that empowers youth to explore identity, wellness, and creativity.
This summer, that legacy came full circle with My River, My Roots, My Freedom, a collaborative project between The Well, ArtWorks, and America’s River Roots Festival. Over seven weeks, twelve ArtWorks Youth Apprentice Artists ages 15–20 researched the history, present, and imagined future of the Ohio River, a river that has carried stories of migration, labor, and freedom for generations.
The apprentices’ work culminated in a diverse collection of artistic outcomes that merged storytelling, visual art, music, writing, and film. Each piece reflected a deep investigation into the Ohio River as both a literal and symbolic current, one that connects the region’s past to its evolving identity today. These creations debuted at the America’s River Roots Festival, celebrating the river’s role in our shared history as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Explore Each Creative Outcome
The work below can be experienced in full on The Well’s website. We invite you to explore these projects, learm more about the background and creative process to see the Ohio River through the eyes of a new generation of artists:
What the River Carries
A hand-illustrated zine that educates readers about pollution in the Ohio River and emphasizes the importance of keeping our waters clean. Featuring block prints, handwritten lettering, and original drawings, this piece is a call to stewardship and awareness. DOWNLOAD ZINE
Rooted
Created by Elke Hounshell and Ash Carroll, Rooted is a dreamlike short film exploring the human body’s connection to nature. It’s a meditation on healing, emotion, and how deeply intertwined we are with the natural world around us.
The River Times
A printed newspaper by Finn Blust that documents the apprentices’ creative process. Acting as a guide to the entire project, it also chronicles the Ohio River’s history and the story of the America’s River Roots Festival.
The River’s Voice – Documentary
This documentary gathers voices from both sides of the river—Cincinnati and Kentucky—to tell personal stories of connection, memory, and place, bringing the human narrative of the river to life.
The River’s Source
A fantasy-inspired digital comic that follows five individuals from different time periods who find themselves in a magical world inspired by Ohio River history. Together, they journey through friendship, danger, and discovery to find their way home.
What Reality Is
A hip-hop EP by The Musky Tears (August Brown and Josiyah Mateo) that captures the Ohio River’s dual nature—its natural beauty and its complex, gritty history. It proves how music can carry truth, power, and awareness.
Palette Flowers
Created by Jayson Drew, Palette Flowers is a sculptural light installation designed to resemble a flower vase, celebrating growth, transformation, and the beauty that can emerge from creativity.
Make Your Mark
Designed by ArtWorks Apprentice Max Rush, this interactive piece invited festivalgoers to leave their own mark. Installed on the Purple People Bridge, it symbolized connection—between art and audience, between Cincinnati and Kentucky, and between past and future. The installation also returned for a special second run on the Purple People Bridge that connects Cincinnati, Ohio and Newport, Kentucky.
The Power of Partnership
This project stands as a testament to what collaboration can achieve. It was brought to life by the creativity and dedication of twelve ArtWorks Youth Apprentices, led by Teaching Artists Elan Schwartz and Andrea Sisson, with guidance from Visiting Artist Anissa Lewis.
“The pilot year of True Body Project happened because ArtWorks said ‘yes’ to this new idea and P&G stepped up to fund it,” said Stacy Sims, Executive Director and Founder of The Well. “Flash forward 20 years, and ArtWorks again said ‘yes’ to powering My River, My Roots, My Freedom with its youth employment model… At the core of it though is the incredible contributions of young art apprentices.”
ArtWorks CEO and Artistic Director Colleen Houston shared, “This partnership is so meaningful because it brings together two organizations that believe deeply in the power of young people to shape our community. Art is a bridge. It allows us to honor the complicated history of the Ohio River while also imagining new futures.”
Celebrating the Next Generation
Through their creativity and collaboration, the apprentices gained skills that extend far beyond artmaking—storytelling, teamwork, research, and confidence. Their work reflects not only what they learned about the river, but what they discovered about themselves.
ArtWorks is deeply proud of these young artists and honored to have been part of True Body’s journey for two decades. As we celebrate 20 years of the True Body Project, we celebrate the thousands of young people who have found their voice and their power through art.
Here’s to the next 20 years of imagination, healing, and creative freedom.
My River, My Roots, My Freedom was made possible through the creativity of 12 youth apprentices, the leadership of Teaching Artists Elan Schwartz and Andrea Sisson, Visiting Artist Anissa Lewis, and generous support from Procter & Gamble, America’s River Roots, and Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell.
