A N O N Y M O U S

 

 

Artists Recovering Through the Twelve Steps 
 



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December 2023 edition



 

God, grant me the serenity 

To accept the things I cannot change; 

Courage to change the things I can; 

And wisdom to know the difference. 

  

A wish for a peaceful and loving 2024.  


 
Do you have something to contribute? We love to include A.R.T.S. Anonymous-related personal stories of experience, strength and hope, poetry, photos, audio files, writing, and art. Email the editors at: newsletter@artsanonymous.org 
 

Remainder of the World Service Conference: The World Service Conference was unable to finish its business in October 2023. An additional day of the Conference is scheduled for Saturday January 13, 2024, at no additional cost to the meetings. A Pre-Conference meeting is scheduled for December 16, 2023; the agenda and the Zoom registration link can be found later in this newsletter. All members are welcome, along with Delegates and Alternate Delegates. 

Representing a Meeting at the World Service Conference: Delegates and Alternate Delegates are elected by their groups at a business meeting. Many of you are registered with the A.R.T.S. office, thank you so much! It helps us to be able to keep track and provide regular communications. But if you have not, please let us know who you are and the meeting you represent by using the link. Delegate/Alternate Delegate Information and Registration for the A.R.T.S. Office 

Treasurer’s Report: Click to see the November 2023 Treasurer's Report, and the Financial Management Report for the first three quarters of 2023. 

[NOTE: Links to these will be added before sending out the newsletter] 

Updated Traits and Tools: This past October the World Service Conference amended and approved some updates to the Traits, and updated Tools from what was approved by the Conference in 1993. These are now posted on the About A.R.T.S. page of the website, in the free downloadable Basic Pamphlet in PDF also on the About A.R.T.S. page, and for sale on the Literature page in kindle. If a meeting chooses to use another version it is suggested that this be announced so as not to cause confusion, particularly for the newcomer. 

 

 
 

Click here for the December 2023 and January 2024 Service Calendars

These are posted on the A.R.T.S. Anonymous "News" page where you can find news and information about events and service meetings, and past issues of the Newsletter 

 
 


For 2023: Writings on the Traditions 

 

While the Twelve Steps of A.R.T.S Anonymous guide us to recover our inspiration and joy in expressing our creativity, the Twelve Traditions guide our focus on our primary purpose in A.R.T.S. Anonymous. What better way to celebrate 2023 than with a focus on the Tradition that corresponds with each of the twelve months. Below in this December issue of the newsletter is one member’s personal response to Tradition 12. 

 
 

 

Tradition Twelve – A Personal Response 

 

Tradition 12: Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities. 

In a 12 Step program, Tradition 12 asserts that anonymity is the foundation built to safeguard the human spirit or soul, and from which all our traditions are practiced. Two questions rise up for me. Why is the idea of anonymity placed in such a premium position? And what does the spirit or the soul need to be protected from? Before I learned what the 12 Step program was about, I had not understood that what happened to me when I was a little girl was still making me sick. I needed to talk about it, have it witnessed and accepted unconditionally.  The 12 Step program offered a place where this could happen safely.  When I first opened up and shared these experiences to a circle of people listening to me, I felt liberated as I was protected from those who would discourage me, or worse, attack this vulnerable moment of truth telling. I believe this is the wisdom of Tradition 12. I needed to trust that what I was sharing would not get back to anyone outside of the meeting. Knowing that anonymity is the spiritual practice of the people present at the 12 Step meetings allows me to heal. I can trust that recovery is possible to meet my better health.  

But something else can threaten the sanctuary of a 12 Step meeting, personalities that have missed learning the principles that encourage our humble behavior...

 

Click here for the complete essay

 
 

Coming in 2024: Member Writing on the Steps

 


While the Twelve Traditions guide us in the primary purpose of A.R.T.S. Anonymous, the Twelve Steps guide us to recover our inspiration and joy in expressing our creativity. What better way to celebrate 2024 than with a focus on the Steps that corresponds with each of the twelve months.  

January’s Newsletter welcomes your response to Step 1: We admitted we were powerless over our creativity – that our lives had become unmanageable.   

The following series of questions are suggested as a guide when writing a response.  

  • What does Step 1 mean to you? 
  • How do you feel about Step 1? 
  • How may Step 1 help your creative expression? 
It will be wonderful to receive your thoughts, feelings, and application of Step 1. Please send your response to the editors at newsletter@artsanonymous.org for possible publication.  
 

 

Light Fight, Athina C., © 2023, all rights reserved 
 

 

Saturday December 16, 2023, Pre-Conference Meeting 

 

On Saturday December 2, nearly twenty Board members, Delegates, Alternates, and other members met and created the agenda for the December 16 Pre-Conference meeting. Although the meeting representatives are particularly needed to help with the discussion, all members of A.R.T.S. Anonymous are welcome to participate in the Pre-Conference, and even have a vote! There are several topics that are about the Conference and its future, including a discussion focused on Article 6 of the World Service Charter: 

Article 6: World Service Conference Organization: The WSC governs itself, although it collaborates with the Board of Trustees. The Conference chooses its election methods and rules for voting, such as percentage of votes required to pass resolutions. 

Conference Committees: The Conference may choose to establish committees. Any A.R.T.S. member may serve on committees. Each committee may have a Board member serving as Board liaison. The committee will elect a member as committee chair. 

Board Committees: The Board of Trustees may also establish committees and include Program Members as well as Conference Delegates. 

(A.R.T.S. Anonymous World Service Charter: as passed by the 2022 World Service Conference on October 29, 2022, ratified on October 30,2022) 

Please consider attending, even if to listen in and see what is going on in the world of A.R.T.S. service. Links for the Zoom registration and the Pre-Conference Agenda are below.
 
 
Dec 16 Pre-Conference Zoom Registration Link
Dec 16 Pre-Conference Agenda
 
 

Announcement! Writing Member Stories

 

The Member Stories Sub-Committee invites A.R.T.S. members to submit personal recovery stories for a new A.R.T.S. Anonymous book. 

Guidelines are available for members who wish to write an Experience Strength Hope (ESH) story.  Please email: memberstories@artsanonymous.org 

For members who prefer to write in a group setting a workshop format is available. The suggested script for leading a Members Stories Workshop is available on the News page of the A.R.T.S. website at: Members Stories Workshop Script 

For more information about the A.R.T.S. Anonymous Literature Committee contact: literature@artsanonymous.org. 

Link to the Literature Committee page on the website 

 
 
 

Preparing for the Final Day of the World Service Conference, January 13, 2024

 

The last day of the agenda for the 2023 World Service Conference held in October has been postponed to Saturday January 13, 2024. A Delegate Packet for just that one day has been created and is available on the website on the Conference/Convention page of the website.  

The hope is that Delegates and Alternate Delegates will be familiar with the contents of the Delegate Packet in order to represent their meetings for the benefit of all of A.R.T.S. Anonymous. All A.R.T.S. members are welcome to take a look and give their meeting Delegate(s) feedback.  

Agenda for the Last Day of the Conference on January 13, 2024: 

  • Treasurer’s Report 
  • Committee Reports: Board of Trustees, Conference Planning, Policy and Procedures, Sharathon, Workshops, Literature, Talents and Skills 
  • New Trustee Elections (if any) 
  • Topic of Discussion: Accessibility & Pricing of Literature - Up to 1 Hour  
  • Topic of Discussion: Outside Literature - Up to 1 hour 
  • Topic of Discussion: Open Forum – (A completely open general discussion) Up to 1 hour  
  • Topic of Discussion: Staggered Terms of Trustees/Service - up to 1 hour 

Click here for the Delegate Packet (to be updated after January 1)

 
 
 

Announcement! Talents and Skills of the Membership

 

The Talents, Skills and Survey Committee invites A.R.T.S. members to attend our meetings. We would like your help to find out the variety of talents that are at the moment present in our Fellowship. 

If you want to know more about our committee, please click on the following link: Talents-and-Skills-DESCRIPTION-OF-COMMITTEE  

The first meeting will take place on Thursday January 25, 2024, at 11.30 AM PT (2.30 PM ET / 8.30 PM CET) 

To obtain the link to attend, email: talents-and-skills@artsanonymous.org   

 
 


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