Free exhibition humanizes the addiction crisis through the personal stories and portraits of Vermonters who died from substance use disorder.
Vermont Business Magazine The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center will host “Drug Addiction: Real People, Real Stories,” a new exhibition of original graphite portraits and narratives that puts human faces and voices at the center of Vermont’s ongoing struggle with substance use disorder. The free, public exhibition opens July 11 and runs through November 1, 2026.
An Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, 10 Vernon Street, Brattleboro, Vermont.
“Drug Addiction: Real People, Real Stories—Vermont” moves beyond statistics and headlines to share the authentic experiences of individuals, families, and
communities affected by addiction. Through personal narratives and original portraits of Vermonters who have died from substance use disorder, visitors will encounter stories of struggle, loss, and love that reflect the reality of addiction in the Green Mountain State. The purpose of the exhibition is to humanize addiction and end the stigma of those suffering from Substance Use Disorder.
Every portrait in this exhibition was created from Vermont. Families across the state submitted their loved ones — sharing photographs, memories, and stories with the INTO LIGHT Project https://www.intolightproject.org that engages a national team of professional artists and writers transformed those submissions into original, hand-drawn graphite portraits paired with individually written narratives. This is not a traveling exhibition. It was built from Vermont lives, for Vermont audiences. At the close of the Brattleboro exhibition, a reproduction of the series will travel throughout Vermont for communities throughout the state to experience through the Vermont Association of Mental Health and Addiction Recovery (VAMHAR - https://www.vamhar.org/).
Vermont continues to face significant challenges with substance use disorder, ranking among the states most severely impacted by the overdose crisis. This exhibition aims to foster understanding, reduce stigma, and encourage community dialogue about addiction as a public health issue — not a moral failing.
At the close of the exhibition, every original, professionally framed portrait will be gifted to the family of the person depicted.
The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center is located at 10 Vernon Street, Brattleboro, Vermont 05301. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 AM – 4 PM. For information, call 802-257-0124 or visit brattleboromuseum.org.
The exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Theresa Clower, Founder & CEO of INTO LIGHT Project, at 302-455-9595.
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Vermont Business Magazine