ABOUT ARTISTS 4 DEMOCRACY
Artists 4 Democracy was founded in 2017 in the spirit of radical practicality to bring together artists, art educators, and students to protect democracy by mobilizing the art community for political action and civic engagement.
Through art-making workshops, campus activities, voter registration drives, artist talks, art sales, fundraisers, canvassing, and political events, we foster and protect our participatory democracy.
In 2018, we began our partnership with student bodies and witnessed firsthand how even small engagements can bring big results. In part thanks to our voter registration and GOTV efforts, the student voter turnout at CalArts (California Institute for the Arts) increased by 43.8% from the previous midterm election, helping to flip two red Congressional districts blue.
In 2020, we took our efforts nationwide. We forged partnerships with art schools throughout the country with the goal of inspiring students to vote through a series of hugely popular online artist talks with internationally renowned artists including Laura Owens, Christina Quarles, Lauren Halsey, Amir Fallah, and Ruben Ochoa. We used our online platform to encourage civic engagement and provided students with practical information about how, why, and where to vote.
Artists 4 Democracy has also built expansive and ongoing partnerships with grassroots organizations across the country, including ADVICE, Walk the Walk, Phone Banking with Artists, Swing Left, and Vote Nevada.
As we approach the elections of 2024, we do so with a renewed sense of urgency. The push for anti-democratic legislation at the local and state level, paired with the rollback of personal freedoms and privacy laws surrounding abortion, make it even more imperative that we mobilize people, especially young folks and first-time voters. This year, we are partnering with colleges, universities, and community organizations in California, Nevada, and other key states to get out the vote. Through hands-on art workshops, we combine voter education with creative, engaging activities—everything from zine-making to tote bag stenciling.
As a multilateral network, the art community is uniquely poised to instigate change. Artists have the potential to reach a broad section of people across the country, and share skills suited to providing a creative approach to the pressing issues of climate change, income and gender inequality, healthcare, criminal justice, and voting rights. Artists 4 Democracy believes that by fostering this sense of empowerment in young artists, they will use their creativity to become active forces for positive political and social change.
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