Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
This article was adapted from a transcript of our fireside chat with Julie. Join our community to participate live in monthly conversations with experts, activists, policymakers, and more!
When we think about solutions to our climate crisis, art is often left out of the discussion. Art allows us to be creative, fully express ourselves, and help us imagine a more hopeful future while raising awareness of issues we care about and helping communities advocate for action. So, what does that look like?
With 20+ years of experience in the nonprofitand art spaces, Soapbox Project member Julie co-founded Create Protest to engage artists to "visually represent statements of unity and inclusivity, calls to action, community values of respect and fairness in an effort to motivate change and encourage participation in our Democracy”. In this fireside chat, Julie shares how art can create spaces for new voices and opportunities to enact social change.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
Now co-running Create Protest for 4 years, Julie explores how she combines her passion for art and creative expression to create a platform for artists to speak up and inspire action in their communities.
P.S. Here’s our Action Pack on art & activism for further reading!
How can art be a powerful tool for social impact and creating social change? How does that influence the foundation of your work?
Art can provoke change in several ways. It can be a visual poster, a song, or poetry—each with its own messaging power. For example, rather than giving someone a lengthy paper on climate stats, a 3-minute animation or live-action video can be much more impactful. Art communicates ideas and emotions that can resonate deeply with people. I think about how music and visual art were used in the 1960s and during the Black Lives Matter movement, such as murals that emerged from it. Art is effective because it creates a connection and communicates messages in ways that traditional text might not.
How does art make activism more accessible and help overcome barriers that traditional activism might face?
Art can make activism more accessible by making it more engaging and enjoyable. Traditional activism can be procedural and dry, which might deter people. Art, however, can infuse fun and creativity into the process, making it more appealing.
For instance, music can bring people together and communicate messages in a more compelling way than a lecture might. By incorporating creativity, you can attract a broader audience and encourage more general participation. Creative elements can make activism more inviting and less intimidating.
What inspired you to start Create Protest, and how do you integrate activism with commerce?
Create Protest was inspired by a shared passion for the arts and creativity. Cynthia (our co-founder) and I met while working at an arts education organization (artworxla, founded by Cynthia) and wanted to do something impactful for 2020. We decided to create a hybrid of commerce and activism. We used platforms like Shopify and Printful, which allowed us to run a print-on-demand service, meaning products like t-shirts were printed and shipped only when ordered, which is more sustainable. We involved artists from our networks and beyond to submit their work, which we then featured on products.
How do you find artists to collaborate with for Create Protest?
Initially, we reached out to artists within our networks. Cynthia reached out to artists she had previously worked with through her arts education organization. We also discovered new artists through cold calls and outreach, such as Man One, a graffiti artist, and Melanie from LA, who designed an "I Love to Vote" shirt. We also found artists through articles and networks related to social movements like Black Lives Matter.
How did Create Protest use art to mobilize action during the 2020 election and beyond?
We wanted to energize people by launching our site with artist-created designs and engaging the public. Our model is "say it, do it" — the "say it" part is represented by wearing the artwork or message, while the "do it" part involves sharing resources. We provided information on voting and engaged in activities such as phone banking and postcard writing. Postcard writing became a major focus as it was an effective and popular way to encourage voter participation. To date we have sold over 50,000 postcards through our partnership with Activate America.
How has art served as a form of healing and community resilience?
Art can be a powerful tool for healing and community resilience. A notable example is the AIDS Quilt, which served both to honor those lost and to raise awareness of the scale of the epidemic.
Each quilt square represented a person who had died, and displaying these quilts in large-scale venues had a significant emotional impact. These art projects that welcome open participation allow people to connect, process grief, and contribute to a larger communal narrative.
Have you seen other organizations use art to explain complex issues like climate change?
Yes, there are some awesome examples. Science Moms, a climate group made up of scientists and moms, uses poetic and impactful commercials and billboards to convey the urgency of climate change.
There are also creative projects like infographics and public art installations that aim to make climate issues more accessible. For instance, a professor set up a climate-themed booth where people could share their thoughts. This combines artistic and conversational approaches to engage the public.
Can you share any examples of recent art movements or projects that have sparked social change?
Art projects with open participation are very effective in creating social change. One example is "Spin the Vote" by Arizona State University, which used creative props and performances to encourage voting awareness among students.
Another is the postcard banner lending library created by an artist who made intricate fabric banners available for public use. You don't necessarily have to be an artist or even think of yourself as an artist, but you can still participate and make an impact.
What is your vision for the future of the art space, both for Create Protest and as a whole?
For Create Protest, we want to continue building partnerships with organizations to fund artist projects and campaigns. We are interested in collaborating with groups like Third Act, which focuses on climate issues for older adults. Globally, I hope to see greater involvement of artists in civic processes and government initiatives, bringing creativity to every aspect of public life. While digital art is growing, I hope that hands-on, physical art forms remain a vital part of our creative landscape.
Create Protest is an online marketplace for message merchandise designed by artists. Support Create Protest and local artists by checking out their products!
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