Joel D. Valdez Main Library invites you to an exhibit in and around the library, on display until December 1, 2025.
Artist statement:
Elizabeth Burden is a multidisciplinary artist who uses drawing, painting, video, sound, and other media in a process of artistic archivy to reflect on geographies, imaginaries, and vestiges of the past/present/future. Her work is deeply rooted in the pull of archives, the construction of histories, ephemeral inheritances, and the ways we make sense of it all.
WE RECOVER TOGETHER : Building Empathy Through Art
We Recover Together began with a simple idea: The opposite of addiction is connection. From that seed, a series of community-driven projects have grown— art installations, workshops, and spaces designed to nurture empathy and belonging. Together with the help of people in recovery, family members, and allies, we’re aiming to reduce the stigma surrounding substance use and highlight the importance of community in wellbeing, recovery, and resilience. The window installation series, Say One Thing, transforms everyday city streets into places of reflection. Each piece shares a message from someone with lived experience–as a person in recovery, a person who uses drugs, a family member or friend. Their statements invite passersby to pause and connect. Every quote is paired with an accompanying audio clip, allowing visitors to hear the voices and stories behind the words.
Located at 27 N Stone Ave in Tucson, the Recovery Living Room has become a gathering place where art and recovery meet. It is a safe space to rest, reflect, and share your story. Each week, we host activities ranging from writing and collage workshops to poetry readings and public conversations. Our mobile recovery Recovery Living Room brings those activities to libraries and community centers throughout Tucson. By meeting people where they are, we’re expanding the conversation about recovery beyond traditional spaces.
As We Recover Together continues to grow, we’re preparing for an upcoming exhibition at the Tucson Museum of Art in November 2025. It will bring together artwork developed throughout the project, celebrating the many ways creativity helps us recover.
For those who can’t participate in person, the Online Recovery Exchange offers another way to connect. Visitors can read stories, share reflections, and contribute to ongoing community prompts that explore what recovery, hope, and wellness mean to them. It is a growing archive of lived experiences.
Recovery takes many forms, and there’s no single path forward, but one thing we know for sure is that we recover together. Whether you visit the Recovery Living Room, encounter a window installation downtown, or share your own story online, you are part of that.
We Recover Together is part of SaludArte, a public art initiative organized by the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona in collaboration with the Pima County Health Department. Now in its second iteration, SaludArte is focused on creatively addressing urgent public health issues through community-driven art. The project is supported by several community collaborators: Pima County Public Library, Fox Tucson Theatre, City High, The Alder Group, The Jireh Collective, and Pioneer Tucson.
To learn more, explore events, or get involved, visit werecovertogether.online, opens a new window
Follow @burdenelizabeth on Instagram
Follow @werecovertogether.online, opens a new window on Instagram
The exhibition Instagram account will remain open throughout the Tucson Museum of Art exhibition November 22, 2025 - May 10th, 2026. A final book talk and conversation about writing and family recovery with Tucson author Lance Wilson will be held at the Recovery Living Room at 27 N. Stone on Tuesday, November 18th from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. The Recovery Living Room will close after Wednesday, November 26th. The opening celebration at the Tucson Museum of Art will be held December 4th from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. in conjunction with First Thursday.
