Thirteenth International Conference on The Arts in Society

Abstract

Designed and implemented eight years ago, “Activist Artists and Works in the Community” is a course where art students explore and define activism and the roles artists play in instigating change and igniting community involvement. By examining the history and evolution of activism through cross-disciplinary sources, students recognize that creative engagement comes with its successes and failures. Based on their own passions, these students then move out of the classroom and partner with agencies to develop and implement creative projects. An overview and discussion of the outcomes of these projects will demonstrate how they have changed lives, initiated new career paths, and helped students realize how their creative spirit can make a difference in today’s world. Some projects featured for this presentation include: building self-esteem through mask and puppet making, bringing healing and hope to domestic violence survivors through art and dialogue, encouraging creativity in our homeless community, sparking dialogue about climate change through art making, and supporting immigrant youth by making banners of pride.