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This article was published 27/08/2022 (287 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

So many of us spend considerable time and resources designing and decorating our homes in ways that bring the most comfort. Home is where the heart is, as the popular expression goes.

For Chilean-born artist Luna, bringing colour and beauty into rooms is not only a passion but a social responsibility. For her, home is also where the art is, where imagination brings healing and comfort. Luna has spent years transforming spaces that are sterile and devoid of colour into areas that foster healing, joy and inspiration for those who need it most.

In 2012, Luna founded La Sala de los Sueños Inc. (Spanish for the room of dreams), a Winnipeg-based registered charity that transforms bedrooms in homes, detention and treatment centres, and shelters into hope-filled spaces for Manitoba children and youth struggling with trauma. Rooms are created for youth and their families to heal so they can face the future with strength.

“From the very beginning this has been magical,” said Luna, who was doing the work on her own long before the creation of the non-profit.

“I’m part of a wonderful community, the most generous artists. I have about 12 volunteers but I also have a network of artists at my disposal. The idea is to surprise the kids. In very difficult and traumatic situations, in that kind of heaviness, we need the people who are going to bring us joy,” said Luna, who’s put a lot of her own resources into the work of transforming spaces over the years.

Requests for dream rooms are received from a range of groups and individuals including parents, Manitoba Housing, schools and law enforcement. They may be for children with a life-threatening illness, survivors of abuse or those facing other traumas. La Sala brings together artists and tradespeople to create vibrant and uplifting murals and bedroom furnishings to transform a child’s bedroom into a colourful space of empowerment and healing.

There’s an interview process and a meet-and-greet with families, which can take place anywhere from a hospital to a bowling alley.

“We really want to know the severity of the situation to know how much we can provide. There’s a bond that gets created when you’re in crisis mode,” said Luna, who remains in contact with many of the families even years after the dream room is completed.

“We have to establish a relationship before we do the room. We get to know them and what they’re struggling with. It could be half a day or more time spent with them.”

La Sala has completed about 300 rooms thus far and Luna wants to continue expanding on that, going where she is needed most as she sees the positive impacts of the individualized projects created in consultation with the child’s interests in mind.

Rooms can cost between $500 and $1,000. Meetings with families will often highlight a need for furniture and other household items. La Sala will go in and ensure the room provides the child with a safe and happy space.

Several years ago, a dream room was created for juvenile female offenders at the Manitoba Youth Centre. The soothing art-filled space tells stories, creates connections and provides much-needed solace for the girls, many of whom have experienced violence.

Lilian Lopez, a volunteer with La Sala and founder of the People and Culture Committee, one of its programs created for better practices and more inclusive space within the non-profit sector for people of colour and marginalized communities, credits La Sala for her being accepted into law school in Alberta.

“She wanted to understand and learn how to navigate through non-profits, which are not always immigrant-friendly because of access, language barriers, culture, gender and lateral violence that can exist within communities,” said Luna.

Lopez is also in the executive mentorship program, which gives priority to immigrants and young people of colour or from marginalized communities to shadow Luna in her role as executive director. The program provides guidance and coaching support towards career development.

For Lopez, “the dream is to allow people from a similar background to us (immigrants and people of colour) and others from marginalized communities to have a place to have their voices heard.

“We hope to create an inclusive safe space for marginalized groups, protect marginalized identities in non-profits, understand and learn how to navigate through non-profits and make a change for the better.”

“I’m super proud of this group,” added Luna. “Each one is incredible and I’m positive they will be future leaders we need to watch.”

The interdisciplinary artist also offers presentations at schools and universities on the arts and their fundamental role in learning, growing and improving quality of life.

“There are children who have all kinds of needs, abilities and disabilities. People learn in different ways,” Luna said.

She’s created a colouring book of butterflies, available free to schools to download as of September. A digital or hard-copy version is available for anyone to purchase through the website with all proceeds to support La Sala and its programming.

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La Sala gratefully accepts funds and supplies and welcomes volunteers. To help a child’s dream room come true, rooms can be sponsored.

There’s no end in sight to Luna’s belief in the power of art to transform lives and for making dreams come true.

“We need artists in the justice system, in education, in health care. I’d like to have paid positions, future movers and shakers.”

More information at lasala.ca.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca