Creative Activism: Start Here
Suggestions from the Commons Librarians about resources to explore in the Arts & Creativity topic area – to help you bring more art and heart to your social change activities.
Topic
Arts & Creativity
Creativity is an abundant resource! People have the ability to come up with imaginative means to challenge and solve the many problems in our society. Creative approaches can be fun and attention grabbing, engaging new audiences and supporters and catching opponents off-guard. Here are many examples along with practical tips.
ChangeMakers Organising School – Online Course (Videos)
ChangeMakers Organising School – Training (videos and slides) to connect and deepen knowledge to organise for social change.
ChangeMakers Organising School – Season Three
ChangeMakers Organising School – Training (videos and slides) to connect and deepen knowledge to organise for social change.
The creativity fuelling the struggle to defund the police
Beautiful Trouble examines some of the principles showing up in the Black Lives Matter movement. Includes direct action, the power of ritual and joy, making the invisible visible, take risks but take care, and more.
Make Change: How-To’s for Effective Peaceful Protest
Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement this article includes tips and links to make what you need for safe, peaceful, and effective protest. Includes signs, effigies, banners, street art, ways to manage pepper spray and tear gas, surveillance considerations and interactions with police liaison.
Defund the police! (Creatively)
A look at the creative tactics being used to defund the police. Protest resources from Beautiful Trouble for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Hopepunk: Strategies for Serious Urban Play
Dr Troy Innocent from RMIT University presented at the Activism @ The Margins 2020 Conference about using urban play as a strategy of change and resistance in public space.
Coronavirus COVID-19 related art to use for your campaigns
Do you need to find images & artwork related to COVID-19? Here is a list of websites where you can find coronavirus-COVID-19 art to use for your campaigns.
Beautiful Trouble’s Guide to Activism During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Beautiful Trouble principles and creative tactics for activism while the world goes through the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes tactics for building a sense of community and continuing to pressure people in power.
The art of inclusivity: Using art to welcome new migrant communities
How can you engage different groups in your communities? Run an art project! Dr Tammy Wong ran an art project in 2019 to engage new immigrants in Melbourne – using art as a tool to build inclusivity.
Climactic Podcasts On Climate Grief and Resilience
A selection of Climactic podcast shows that focus on the emotional and psychological impacts of climate change and the strategies people are using to respond to them.
The case for laughter in social movements
Comedian and community organiser Maxwell J Smith writes about how our movements and campaigns need art, creativity and laughter.
Top Tips for Advanced Artistic Activism
A clear concise checklist from the Creative Center for Activism of important things to remember when planning an artistic action.
The Copenhagen Experiment: Measuring the relative effectiveness of creative vs. conventional forms of activism
The Copenhagen experiment took place in Denmark in 2018 and discovered that creative activism was more effective than conventional forms of activism.
Radically Re-Imagining the World as our Climate Changes
Alex Kelly gives a powerful speech about seeing the opportunities and how the arts can help to remake, to reimagine and to redefine our world.
Parasols of protest
Activism and Artivism – Sharon France, graphic designer, shares how she created the designs for ‘parasols for protests’ for the People’s Climate March.
The spirit of Mambesak West Papuan freedom music
An introduction to West Papuan protest songs and the courageous artists and activists behind them.
Performing Political History: An interview with Gary Foley
An interview with Professor Gary Foley about using creative practice to bring attention to the political challenges facing Aboriginal people in Australia.
Activism and the power of humour
This paper uses Australian case studies to demonstrate the continued evolution of the use of humour in environmental, peace, and social justice movements.
Sign Language: The story of the Jabiluka symbol
The artist’s story of how the Stop Jabiluka hand symbol was designed and developed and grew to become a symbol for the anti-nuclear movement.