ARTconnects was founded by Salma Zulfiqar in 2017 to promote social cohesion, tolerance and wellbeing and to bring together migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers and other vulnerable people. The project builds on people’s fundamental need to express themselves creatively and to share this with others. Salma taught in-person art therapy workshops all over the UK, and in other countries, until the COVID-19 pandemic made travel impossible. ARTconnects was taken online (through Zoom sessions) in April 2020 to promote solidarity, support vulnerable isolated refugees and migrants, women and girls, with essential mental wellbeing support through educational arts-based activities and keep them connected throughout the crisis. Participants have been recruited through community organisations and NGOs working with refugees and through Salma Zulfiqar’s humanitarian contacts around the world including the United Nations. Since moving online, the project helped marginalized migrant and refugee women overcome restrictions imposed by the global pandemic to develop creativity and build self-confidence. The workshops also coached isolated migrant and refugee participants to improve communication skills and self-confidence, provided them with essential COVID-19 updates and health tips. Each workshop focuses on a theme which is introduced by Salma at the start of the session. After learning about the topic, the women are encouraged to share their feelings and talk about how they connect to it on a personal level. Salma then helps them to create related artworks, which they later share and discuss with the group. Key themes over the last year have included COVID-19, mental health, racism, and inequality. Solidarity is an overarching theme.