April 26, 2016

Celebration Commemorates 20th Anniversary of Release the Fear

Release the Fear Sculpture in downtown Phoenix; Robert Miley, sculptor and CEO Release the Fear

Release the Fear, an Arizona nonprofit organization founded in 1996, recently celebrated its 20^th anniversary at the home of Billie Jo and Judd Herberger. The organization has worked with youth in Arizona and internationally to instill positive life changes, using the creative processes of art, music and communication.

The April 20 event, attended by Valley notables including the Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor, Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane and his wife, Joanne, the former Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard and more, included a performance by singer Alice Tatum and an announcement from Arizona’s PBS general manager Kelly McCullough that the Art Beat Nation special feature on Release the Fear will air on PBS in 2016.

Robert Miley, CEO of Release the Fear, is also the artist who created the Release the Fear sculpture in downtown Phoenix at the intersection of Central Avenue and Roosevelt Street. The 24-foot tall work, completed in 2005, is constructed of melted weapons used in crimes and depicts a human figure rising upward, arms to the heavens, in a symbol of transformation and empowerment. Near the bottom of the sculpture actual parts of guns, knives and other deadly weapons are visible.

Miley spoke to the group assembled April 20 about the impact of Release the Fear on the community’s youth: teaching valuable skills by engaging understanding of self-discovery, exploring solutions to the problems young people face today, and inspiring and empowering youth with the tools to make better life choices through the creative process.

“The success of Release the Fear’s evidence-based program was demonstrated in a recent three-year longitudinal study on 928 youth. This study, undertaken by Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections, proves evidence of the positive impact or our programs, which help to reduce recidivism by 11 percent in Arizona.”

In 2015, Release the Fear earned Arizona Department of Education’s approval to teach Character Education. This year, Release the Fear was presented with the Governor’s Arts Award for Arts in Education.

EVENT PHOTOS BY ASHLEY LOWERY