Powered by
Using the vibrant arts scene of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the Art for Social Change program immerses students in the study of artists and communities using art to inspire social change. In Art for Social Change, a wide variety of creative practices are embraced as essential tools for civic engagement, participatory democracy and direct ac... read more
Using the vibrant arts scene of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the Art for Social Change program immerses students in the study of artists and communities using art to inspire social change. In Art for Social Change, a wide variety of creative practices are embraced as essential tools for civic engagement, participatory democracy and direct action. Through lively dialogues in classroom seminars, field visits with the Twin Cities' most influential community-based artists, and a professional internship, Art for Social Change students explore how art and culture impact communities and how creative work (performance, writing, visual art, music, etc.) has the power to address pressing social issues and make them visible and real. The program uses current events and recent history to examine subjects like social and cultural identity, war, racial injustice, poverty, and ecological devastation. As a class, we grapple with questions like, what is the role and responsibility of the artist in response to these issues? How can art bring people together across difference? Can art save lives? What are the ethics behind community based-art? How do you use/introduce/infuse art in communities that are not your own? Is art a necessity or a luxury? Throughout the semester students meet with a wide variety of local artists, educators, and arts advocates in addition to attending performances, films and installations that evoke deeper investigations into these questions. Less
