Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence

The Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence is Vermont’s leading statewide voice on domestic and sexual violence. Founded in 1986, the nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization brings together 14 independent organizations that provide advocacy and support to survivors of violence in communities across Vermont. The Network works to create a world where actions, beliefs, and systems support all people to thrive, while strengthening the capacity of its member organizations and advancing a more just and violence-free Vermont.

Composing the Horizon is a violence prevention project which brings songwriting and creative expression to two groups of men who are fathers: a community-based cohort and fathers who are incarcerated at the Northern State Correctional Facility in Newport. Led by musician and composer Evan Premo of Northwoods Music Collaborative, the project invites fathers to become composers and storytellers, creating original songs that express their hopes, dreams, love, and aspirations for their children. Working with the Dad’s Guild, the Janet S. Munt Family Room Fatherhood Initiative, Lund’s Kids-a-Part Program, and Writers for Recovery, participants will explore music as a means of connection, reflection, and emotional expression. The project will culminate in a public concert featuring participants’ original works, while documenting the process and learning to inform future creative and community-based approaches to violence prevention.