Arts & Advocacy is a six-part talk series designed to inform audiences on how cultural leaders have historically and are currently thinking about art as a tool for social change.

Scroll Down For Talk Descriptions and Links.
Scroll to Bottom for Community Building Events.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1) SEPT 1 :  Murals and Monuments: The Politics of Public Art with Mary Kordak.
2) SEPT 8 :  Beyond The Mural: Political Art to Empower and Effect Change with Mary Kordak,
3) SEPT. 15 : Equity Through Information: The Black Art Library with Asmaa Walton
4) SEPT. 22 : Promise, Witness Remembrance : A Contemporary Response with Allison Glenn
5) OCT. 7 : Black Love Blooms: Flipping Stereotypes Talk: Brianna Harlan
6) NOV. 9 : Graphic Design To Share: Social Justice On Social Media: Juanita Austin and Andres Salkin. 

SPECIAL THANKS:

These talks are part of the series Community Building & Advocacy Events - made possible with the support of Connecticut Humanities. Special thanks to NAACP Norwich branch for guidance and to The Florence Griswold Museum, The Lyman Allyn Museum, and The Old Lyme NPG Library for hosting these events. PARJE is made possible with the support of the Community Foundation of Eastern CT and the Cultural Coalition of South Eastern CT.

FULL DESCRIPTIONS

1) Murals and Monuments: The Politics of Public Art with Mary Kordak.
September 1, 3pm-4pm, Florence Griswold Museum (virtual).

Mary Kordak, professor of art history at University New Haven, talks about the history of murals/monuments and how they affect cultural change. This talk touches on the current debates over monuments, how important it is to remember our history, and how public art can help re-tell narratives that were historically racially unjust. Audience members will participate in a Q/A, leaving with a deeper understanding of the history and practice of public art. 

2) Beyond The Mural: Political Art to Empower and Effect Change with Mary Kordak,
September 8, 3-4pm,  Florence Griswold Museum (virtual).

Moving past the common misconception that public art is “all about murals”, Mary Kordak returns to talk about more experimental public artworks. She will discuss cutting-edge art projects led by cultural leaders like Ai Weiwei, Kehinde Wiley as well as the Chicano Muralist Movement, and public/community art of young Yemeni Artists. While these disparate artists/movements have racial or ethnic components they also contain strong elements of social and economic disparity. This talk will introduce audiences to contemporary public artists and how public art can be a springboard for effecting real change. 

3) Equity Through Information: The Black Art Library Project Talk with Asmaa Walton
September 15, 3pm-4pm, Florence Griswold Museum (virtual)

Independent curator Asmaa Walton talks about her project collecting books on Black artists, a demographic often overlooked in the canon. Walton curates a new Black art history through a living archive of global Black creativity. and is currently on view at SPACES gallery in Cleveland. Walton’s talk explores how important ‘good’ information is in today’s climate of fake news and alternative facts. By introducing audience members to a specific community-based art project they will learn the importance of rewriting historical narratives.

4) Promise, Witness Remembrance: A Contemporary Response with Allison Glenn 
September 22, 3pm-4pm, Florence Griswold Museum (virtual)

Please join us for a conversation with Allison Glenn, Senior Curator and Director of Public Art, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, for a discussion on her celebrated 2021 art exhibition Promise, Witness, Remembrance, developed around Amy Sherald’s portrait of Breonna Taylor, at the Speed Museum in Louisville, KY. In this lecture, Glenn will reflect on the portrait of Taylor and her unique approach to curating this exhibition, and how artists can help us understand larger systemic issues of gun violence and inequity in policing. Audience members will learn how a diverse range of artists addresses memory, hope, and racial justice through their work.  

5) Black Love Blooms: Reconditioning with Unconditional Love with Brianna Harlan
October 7th, 6pm-7pm, Lyman Allyn Museum of Art, (In-Person)

Brianna Harlan discusses Black Love Blooms, a performance set on loving Black people as they are, where they are. This work breaks down racial stereotypes and how they affect the daily lives of Black people and the communities that hold them through gentle and soft offerings. In Black Love Blooms local businesses and grassroots organizations donate flowers and love notes for Black community members to gift to Black people in public. Audiences are brought to an awareness of their own role in the systemic negative impact of stereotypes and what it is like to reverse them with acts of love.

6) Graphic Design To Share: Social Justice On Instagram: Panel Talk with Juanita Austin and Andres Salkin. 
Moderated by Eddie Long and Nike Desis.   
Tuesday, NOVEMBER 9, 11am 
Old Lyme PGN Library, (virtual)

Juanita Austin of Cultured AF, a New London based instagram savvy cultural organization and Andre Salkin an Instagram influencer and social justice educator discuss how to create helpful and inspiring graphics for use on social media - especially as a tool for grassroots community building.

A reprise of a successful talk given last year we will record the session so it can be used as a career development resource moving forward. This talk partners with Norwich Free Academy, Old Lyme Highschool, and East Lyme Highschool to reach a wide audience of students.

 The community events in this series build off our educational talks and ask audience members to apply what they have learned directly to their communities.

1) Our Towns: Community Mapping Event: Brianna Harlan
3 events on TBA
11am-12pm - Mapping Old Lyme
1pm-2pm - Mapping New London
5pm-6pm - Discussion
PARJE (virtual)

Community engagement specialist Brianna Harlan leads three sessions to discuss in-depth how the town of Old Lyme (a homogeneous primarily white community) contrasts with New London (its neighboring culturally diverse city). Participating residents identify assets and opportunities in their neighborhoods, create “maps” of their community, and discuss hyper-local examples of racial inequity. These sessions will foster a deep understanding of where attendees live in relation to their neighbors. Local residents will gain a sense of responsibility for their resources and become informed advocates for equitable communities.

2) Racial Justice Advocacy: A Community Discussion with David Good
DATE & TIME : TBA
Lyme Arts Academy, (In-Person)

Bringing our lecture series to a close this in person event discusses what we have learned. Attendees are encouraged to view at least one previous lecture - available online - so they have a shared basis for discussion. Goals are to discuss how build a beloved community while brainstorming future projects and actions to advocate for greater equity.