Title: Why Artistic Activism? – The Center for Artistic Activism
Headings: Why Artistic Activism?
Why Artistic Activism?
Why Artistic Activism: Nine Reasons
1: Artistic Activism Mobilizes Affect and Effect
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2: Artistic Activism Thrives in the Contemporary Landscape
3: Artistic Activism Has Been Used Throughout History
4: Artistic Activism Creates Openings
5: Artistic Activism is Accessible
6: Artistic Activism Stimulates a Culture of Creativity
7: Artistic Activism Energizes People and Organizations
8: Artistic Activism is About the Long Game
9: Artistic Activism is Peaceful and Persuasive
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Content: Art, equally simply stated, is an expression that generates Affect. At first glance these aims seem at odds with one another. Activism moves the material world, while Art moves the heart, body and soul. In fact, however, they are complimentary. Social change doesn’t just happen, it happens because people decide to make change. As any seasoned activist can tell you, people just don’t decide to change their mind and act accordingly, they are personally moved to do so by emotionally powerful stimuli. We’re moved by affective experiences to do physical actions that result in concrete effects: Affect leads to Effect. We might think of this as Affective Effect, or perhaps, Effective Affect. Or, combined in a new word, Æffect (pronounced Aye-fect).