sion and diversity, on cooperation and collaboration, even
shared economic prosperity.
After all, doesn’t a mature culture develop the ability
to see options, work through challenges, embrace conflict
resolution, and strive for social fairness and justice for all?
Perhaps creative activism can prove to us that real peace is
not necessarily about a permanent calm but embodiment of
an overriding concern for others wellbeing.
The last several months have certainly brought a new
urgency to social engagement. More than ever, we must em-
brace universal humanitarianism—to work for the benefit of
all people, here and abroad. The next phase of our evolution
may well be in the hands of creatives and their ability to
teach the tenets of creative activism to the rest of us.
Creative activism. The
Arts of Humanity, a Chica-
go-based organization, be-
lieves that the arts “help us
express our values, build
bridges between cultures,
and bring us together
regardless of ethnicity,
age, etc.” The organization
supports and recognizes
creative humanitarians
and their varied causes,
while providing opportu-
nities and inspiration for
people to become creative
“Do-Gooders.” Visit: theart-
sofhumanity.org for more
information.
l
l Art with Purpose. An-
other approach to activism
experiencing great success
is the work of the Creative
Action Network, a global
community of artists and
designers. It provides a fo-
rum to run crowd-sourced
campaigns around various
causes, allowing anyone
the ability to contribute
their own original, visual,
meaningful work. Creative
Action Network utilizes the
designs and makes prints,
apparel, and other prod-
ucts, and provides places
to sell the pieces via their
online store and through
other retail partners, thus
supporting artists and
causes through every pur-
chase made. See: creative-
action.network
Visual Activism. Keep-
ing issues alive is one of the
most significant challenges
of activism today. So many
critical issues come to our
attention via a news flash
and then are quickly re-
placed a few days later by
other issues of the moment.
Most social justice con-
cerns take years of dedica-
tion to resolve, and there-
fore, we must find methods
to keep people informed
and involved. Nancy Ohi-
anian’s conceptual piece,
EPA Regulations, is a visual
reminder of what environ-
l
mental injustice looks like,
pointing to the effects of
race and politics on a basic
human right—safe drink-
ing water. The irony is not
lost that in the most devel-
oped country in the world,
one of Michigan’s poorest
and blackest communities
has not had access to safe
or clean water for a signifi-
cant period of time.
The Global Art Project
has a mission to “joyously
create a culture of peace
through art, celebrating
diversity and multi-cultur-
alism while expressing the
idea: We Are All One.”
Founded in Tucson, AZ,
in 1993, the Global Art
Project is an interna-
tional art exchange for
peace which has involved
145,000 participants in 93
countries on seven conti-
nents. Participants of all
ages create works of art in
any medium, that express
their vision and hopes for
global peace and goodwill.
The finished pieces are
l
displayed locally and then
sent via an international
exchange to matching
participants—group-to-
group and individual-to-in-
dividual. A biennial event,
this collective vision for
humanity is sent around
the world at one time as
a gift of global friendship
and is then exhibited in
the receiving community.
Registration for the 2018
exchange begins in May
2017. For information, visit:
globalartproject.org
l Guns to Goods is a com-
munity interest company
that recycles metal from
guns for use in the produc-
tion of creative artifacts.
Initially launched by an
artist’s collective from
Manchester, England, it
now partners with various
organizations and com-
munities to reduce weapon
based crime. Their goal is
to raise awareness of the
life affirming positivity
of running these types of
campaigns and to champi-
on peace in local contexts.
They have created a win-
win program getting guns
off the street, creating art to
enhance their community
and in doing so support
artists as well. Vist: www.
gunstogoods.com.
IMAGINE l Spring 2017 35