Artists have a different relationship to the world, and a unique space to occupy in activism and politics.
The ability to move others through art, both emotionally and physically, has long been known.
When combined with political meaning, artwork has the ability to shift perception of our causes and candidates. Many modern movements have been supported and augmented by art, and in some cases art has provided the catalyst for a movement's rise.
Join us on March 22 in Washington, DC, as a panel of artists discusses impressions and involvement in activism through their artwork, and takes Q&A with attendees.
Moderator
Simon Isaacs is considered a leading thinker in grass roots movements, and uses art and culture to engage the public on environmental and social issues. He is a partner in Taskforce with arts activist Yosi Sargeant.
Panelists:
Kristen Arant, known as the Drum Lady, has traveled the world learning and teaching drumming. She is based in DC where she works full-time teaching and performing. She founded the Young Women's Drumming Empowerment Project, a non-profit that fosters creativity through drumming, poetry, movement, songs and performance to encourage the growth of young women's self esteem.
Adriel Luis, is a spoken word activist who motivates students to become engaged in their local community and campus through the medium of poetry. Through his art, he teaches and inspires a new generation of activists to get involved.
César Maxit was born in Argentina at the start of the "Dirty War." At a young age he fled military repression there and migrated to America. He began his career as an architect but is now an artist working with minority groups and campaigning for environmental, climate, and human rights justice. He co-founded the DC51 artist collective.
Nadine Bloch is an innovative artist, nonviolent practitioner, political organizer, direct-action trainer, and puppetista, who combines the principles and strategies of nonviolent civil disobedience with creative use of the arts in cultural resistance and public protest. She has trained activists in nonviolent direct action with the Ruckus Society in Berkeley and Oakland, California, participated in daring environmental protests with Greenpeace, led anti-globalization protests in Seattle in 1999, and engaged in "guerilla theater" at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank protests in Washington, D.C. A founding member of WAG ( Washington Arts Group), her work has been featured nationally and locally, including in the Washington Post, Cornell Alumni Magazine, MS Magazine and on CNN/TIME as well as in a new book, Beautiful Trouble due out April 2012. www.wagthis.org and www.beautifultrouble.org.
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