The Artist as Activist

Creativity Cafe  

"At Creativity Cafe, we live for the artist in everyone and believe creative people have the solutions to the ills of humanity...and that everyone is creative. You are a unique individual who carries a piece of the puzzle, for creating a future world that is abundant, loving and peaceful for every person on this planet. Use this site for 'Storytelling the Future into Reality.' Share your art, insight, wisdom and solutions for a better world. Tell us your your wildest ideas and most obvious concepts that would help to make for a healthier and happier planet. ". This site offers a number of resources for artists who are active in social issues. A discussion forum is also provided. 

Institute on the Arts & Civic Dialogue 

Founded by Anna Deavere Smith, "The position of the artist in society is frequently marginal. In a time when there is so much performance in public life from non-artists, and at a time when life sometimes seems bigger than art, how does the artist meet the challenge of mirroring society? Does the artist have something to offer society in terms of civic leadership? Does civic space have something to offer the artist? What happens if an artist determines both to absorb and be absorbed by his or her society? Could the artist, in fact, become an unexpected voice of reason? Could engagement with the public enhance the will to communicate? At a time when some art forms are losing audience, are there new ways to negotiate a relationship to the audience without loosing the space the artist requires in order to be reflective? The Institute on the Arts & Civic Dialogue will explore such questions by workshopping new works in an atmosphere that is conducive to the discussion of civic issues."   

Journey to a Hate Free Millennium 

"Scarpo and Bedogne, both Hollywood veterans, began planning Journey to a Hate Free Millennium in the summer of 1998. They envisioned a film that would show the destructive power of hate, but they didn't know what stories they'd tell to illustrate their point." Nice article from Denver's Rocky Mountain News on a new documentary film profiling the effects of hate. The film has been shown at many schools and film festivals and aparently has affected the hearts of many viewers. The film makers have set up a non-profit corporation to make other films designed to be a positive force for change in society   

Legislative Theatre, Using Performance to Make Politics by Augusto Boal 

"Elected MP for Rio de Janeiro in the 1992 Brazil elections, renowned theatre director and founder of the international movement 'Theatre of the Oppressed', Augusto Boal mixes theatre and politics in a way that's committed, inspirational and explosive.  Legislative Theatre, the latest and most remarkable stage of his work, is an attempt to use theatre within a political system to create a truer form of democracy; developed during his period as a prominent Brazilian politician, this method transforms the citizen into the legislator." This simple website from Routledge Press allows you to order this book.

MediaRights.org 

This organization represents the work of documentary artists dedicated to the realization of social change. The site includes a wonderful set of databases of documentary films. The databases are searchable.   

Street Portraits and Stories: Tokyo, 1999: 

This website, subtitled: - art as a mirror presents visual artist, Geoff Read’s Street portraits and stories project which "celebrates the strength, character and resourcefulness of homeless people around the world, and supports efforts to campaign and organize on this issue. He draws 'collaborative portraits,' asking each person to choose how they are drawn: the colors, the feeling and atmosphere. They are encouraged to draw or write on the image, and anything they want to say or tell is recorded. The drawings are good likenesses, concentrating on what is unique and strong.
They are warmly respectful rather than pitying or voyeuristic. This is a well-written description of the project with a few illustrations. The resource also shows that the problem of homelessness extends far beyond Europe and North America among industrialized countries.

Other Issue Oriented Activist Art Projects:

AIDS 

Arts for Aids Auction 

This San Francisco community event has attracted a broad spectrum of the Bay  Area's colorful community of artists, businesses and conscientious  individuals for an evening of fine art, fun and festivities. Art is auctioned to the bidder with the biggest heart and money is  raised for HIV and AIDS services

Broadway Cares - Equity Fights Aids 

This website explains the program, it's history, and how the funds that are raised are used.

Soap Opera's AIDS Response - SOAR

Guns

The Paper People Project 

"The Paper People Project is an international community arts project sponsored by the Illinois Art Therapy Association.  As artists and art therapists we are launching this large-scale art installation to show the world that we are all impacted by gun violence.  Our goal is to gather and link together Paper People created by children, teens, and adults.  The Paper People created by people from many nations, will be displayed in a public exhibition, and will communicate to the citizens of the world that we are joined in solidarity to prevent gun violence."  This is a very moving site with an extensive gallery of visual art and poetry.   

Hunger 

The 1 of 52 Artist Hunger Program 

Grassroots network of local and national artists, individuals and organizations dedicated to ending hunger. In each state, they are organizing a permanent network of a minimum of 52 artists, each representing one week of the year, who to take action annually to help end hunger. One hundred percent of all proceeds donated through the 1 of 52 Artist Hunger Network go directly to the hunger relief agency of the participants' choice.