Care and Mutual Aid in Community Art Practices since 1980

Chairs: Kristen Carter, Florida Southern College, kcarterflsouthern.edu; Jessica Santone, California State University-East Bay, jessica.santonecsueastbay.edu

Operating at the intersection of social justice activism and community arts, mutual aid networks and care-based projects mobilize the resources, operations, and skillsets of art to respond to specific community needs for food, housing, education, or healing. These networks and projects often exist in the context of larger efforts to combat structural racism and other forms of systemic injustice. Like social practice and socially engaged art more broadly, their deployment has the potential to expand art participation beyond traditionally served art audiences. How have artists and cultural producers developed or created structures of support for such practices since 1980? To what extent have these projects also pushed art institutions and their guardians to see art on a continuum with public health? The session aims to shine a spotlight on histories of these practices over the past forty years, as well as to initiate dialogue about recent examples. We are particularly interested in artist-led efforts that provide care or establish networks of mutual aid beyond communities of fellow artists.

All proposals and supporting documentation must be submitted through the secure submission platform: https://secac.secure-platform.com/a/solicitations/12/home

Proposals due by May 4.

For more information: https://secacart.org/page/Lexington