"Art cannot change the world, but it has the power to inspire those who can"

The past twenty years has seen a Western foreign policy based on war in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Since 9/11 US-led conflicts have resulted in the deaths of 387,072 civilians, displaced 38,000,000 from their homes and come at a financial cost of over $8tn. As recent events in Afghanistan have shown, these terrible costs have still not achieved any of the intended outcomes.

Now is the moment to reflect on twenty years of failed Western intervention and say: no more war. Rather, let's look to a more nurturing foreign policy that increases foreign aid. Every dollar that feeds the industrial military complex starves a generation of education, healthcare and safety.

As a photographer I have spent the past decade documenting these wars and witnessing the realities on the ground. It is these experiences that led me to found the Legacy of War Foundation with the intended aims of both supporting communities rebuilding after conflict, and also to campaign against the use of military force in foreign policy.

We at VENT are calling on artists and creatives to join us in amplifying the campaign. Paintings, designs, films, collage, music, dance: whatever medium allows you to express your feelings on the theme of No More War.