We’re partnering with People for the American Way Foundation to support artists mobilizing voters in their communities
Art moves people. In an election year where people are fatigued, frustrated, fearful, and maybe even furious, art is vital.
We’ve partnered with People for the American Way Foundation to unleash the unique vision and imagination of artists. Through Art for the Polls, artist projects are mobilizing communities to vote.
We started with a series of artistic activism trainings tailored for artists. Now, we’re supporting 11 projects in North Carolina, Ohio, and New York: states with a history of voter suppression and where elections will have an outsized impact.
Artists are using mediums of dance, music, food, installations, projection, and comedy. From an Art Lab for artists to create pro-voting posters and zines to be distributed at music festivals, to an installation that stretches for a whole city block, these artist-led projects are connecting with communities directly to encourage voting.
We’re also working with partners in each state. Common Cause North Carolina, Cleveland VOTES, the Chinese-American Planning Council, and the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund are further amplifying these artists’ vital efforts. The projects are already reaching to Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Illinois – with more to come.
Read on for details about how these local, innovative, creative projects are inspiring people to take action.
North Carolina
Move to Vote
Baran Dance is hosting a free, weekend-long dance workshop and public showcase. The workshop will focus on the power of movement, creative research, and imaginative collaboration. Throughout the workshop and in the public showcase, Baran Dance will inspire civic action on today’s most pressing issues.
Votemos Durham is running a series of community asadas, or cookouts. This grassroots group has been using cultural events to demystify civic engagement for Latiné voters and community members throughout 2024. At the asadas, they’ll bring together local neighborhoods with great food to explore the intersection of art and voting.
Voting Arts Lab
Voting Arts Lab is mobilizing artists to create culturally-tailored GOTV posters and zines. They focus on young voters – especially LGBTQIA+ people, BIPOC, women, disabled people, and immigrants. The artwork is spreading everywhere, especially at music festivals and other events.
Ohio
Projects in Ohio are part of our long partnership with Cleveland VOTES and support its More Than My Art initiative
Mural on the Moon
Drawing on science, space, and nature, Mural on the Moon features:
- art installations focusing on the future voting can achieve,
- voter guides and educational resources, and
- opportunities to reflect on what it means to reimagine the future together.
Our Power Fest
An immersive weekend festival featuring performances, workshops, and more. Our Power Fest gives a platform for cultural workers to:
- share their heritage,
- have conversations promoting mutual understanding, and
- take actions to ensure their communities can thrive through voting.
Slam Dunk the Vote
In partnership with local professional sports non-profits, Slam Dunk The Vote leverages sports culture and games to create a fun, social environment to engage young voters and provide youth with voter registration information and support.
New York
Eljuri Concerts for Democracy
A live performance series led by acclaimed musician Eljuri. Bilingual songs inspire multigenerational crowds from underrepresented Latinx communities. Eljuri is singing and inspiring voters across New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.
Project Your Vote
In New York and Pennsylvania, larger-than-life projections will direct voters to ballot drop boxes and polling places. The projections use evocative imagery of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement to help make folks’ voices heard.
Operation Golden Day
Golden Day in New York is the last day of voter registration and the first day of early voting. The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) and Arts4Impact are partnering to create a city-block-long golden fabric garland in Chinatown on this special day. The interactive art activation will inspire and empower New Yorkers – especially from underrepresented Asian and immigrant communities – to turn out in force in the 2024 election and beyond.
UG! Political Show!!
An exciting line-up of local comedians across the political spectrum dives into how civic engagement can be fun, civil, entertaining, and informative.
Create+Engage
A series of hands-on, community workshops designed to inspire creativity and meaningful civic action, hosted by the Creative Fuel Collective. The workshops explore how art and creative solutions can motivate us to engage in our local communities.
