At the intersection of art and community, there is life. People living and going about their days—working in and outside of homes, feeding themselves and family, recreating and creating.
Struggles for liberation, civil rights, justice, peace to improve our world today and create a better tomorrow are ongoing, however, in the spring and summer of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and the racial and social justice movement shone a bright light on racial inequities across the globe.
From the Heidelberg Project in Detroit, Michigan, to Project Row Houses (PRH) in Houston; we see examples of organizations that place art at the center of remembrance, engagement, and learning—to move society forward in a more thoughtful way. These organizations serve an activist and advocates for their communities while also providing tourist experiences benefiting the communities in which they operate and serve. They provide employment and volunteer opportunities, and also contribute to the economies of their respective areas.
Through the stories of two art organizations, attendees will learn ways that art can help a community engage in difficult conversations, address systemic social ills, and make a better community.